Jones set for Wales return

Adam Jones looks set for a recall to the Wales team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale against France in Paris.

The British and Irish Lions Test tighthead has played just 20 minutes’ rugby since January after suffering an elbow injury during the Ospreys’ Heineken Cup loss to London Irish.

But with Craig Mitchell ruled out for the rest of the season, Jones could feature when Wales coach Warren Gatland announces his line-up tomorrow lunchtime.

Mitchell dislocated his shoulder during the 19-13 victory over Ireland three days ago. He has undergone surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 12-16 weeks.

Jones has been called into the squad and Gatland must decide whether to hand him a 69th cap or switch Paul James from loosehead and start with John Yapp.

Mitchell, 24, made an impressive contribution to Wales’ Six Nations campaign in the four games he started after filling the void left by Jones.

“Craig has now had corrective surgery after dislocating his right shoulder,” said Prav Mathema, the Welsh Rugby Union’s national performance medical manager.

“The operation went very well and we would now expect him to be back playing within a 12-16 week period.”

Jones, meanwhile, returned to action for the Ospreys as a substitute in their Magners League victory over Glasgow nine days ago.

The 30-year-old had been sidelined since injuring his elbow seven weeks earlier. He will link up with the Wales squad later today.

Wales still hold a slim Six Nations title chance, but they need to beat France by an emphatic margin and hope that England suffer a heavy defeat against Ireland in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Gatland has also added teenage Scarlets wing George North to the squad.

North, scorer of two tries on his Test debut against world champions South Africa in November, has now recovered from a shoulder injury which kept him out for three months.

He looks unlikely to dislodge Leigh Halfpenny from the starting XV though, suggesting a possible role off the bench at the Stade de France.