‘It’s an opportunity’: Wales spring Six Nations surprise by dropping North
The Wales head coach, Warren Gatland, has sprung a major selection surprise by omitting the established centres George North and Nick Tompkins from his lineup for the Six Nations fixture with France on Sunday.
But the Wales assistant coach, Mike Forshaw, says both players have “jumped back on the horse” after being left out, with a new midfield pairing of Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin preferred.
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While North and Tompkins have 155 caps between them – North is Wales’s most experienced Six Nations squad member – the 23-year-old Scarlets centre Roberts will make his first tournament start and Watkin is recalled after featuring against Scotland in the opening round.
“I think it is an opportunity to have a look at Joe,” Forshaw said. “I think Joe was unlucky not to go to the World Cup. We just felt if we were going to have a look, this was the game to do it. He [Roberts] is a really promising young 13, and Owen Watkin has a lot of experience.
“I suppose there is always a risk in every selection, but I suppose we have to be confident in the messages we are giving and the coaching we are doing.
“They [North and Tompkins] are not injured. Nick and George have been spoken to. They firmly believe in what we are doing. I don’t think they have been dropped. They have had two games together and they have done extremely well. But we have got to see Joe playing, and we are going to see him. We’ve decided to make that switch this week, and we’ve got to back him.”
Wales have lost their past four Six Nations games against France, but this time they tackle a struggling Les Bleus team who were beaten by Ireland and drew at home against Italy either side of narrowly beating Scotland.
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Wales have yet to win in a game in the competition this season though their final two fixtures against France and Italy are both at the Principality Stadium.
Forshaw said: “The two boys were disappointed, but this morning they jumped back on the horse and they were very supportive of Owen and Joe.
“George is a great man around this environment, and he totally gets it. I would be disappointed if they weren’t disappointed. Selection day is always tough because you want to be in the team, you want to play for Wales.
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“This morning they were both great. They were down yesterday, which I get because I have been there and know what it is like, but the two boys who have come in they will fully support them.”
The Wales captain, Dafydd Jenkins, has been switched from lock to blindside flanker, with Will Rowlands called up as Adam Beard’s second-row partner, while the hooker Ryan Elias replaces Elliot Dee. It will be Jenkins’s first appearance in the No 6 shirt for club or country, and he takes over from Alex Mann.
Rowlands missed Wales’s opening Six Nations match with Scotland after his partner gave birth, and he then featured off the bench in defeats against England and Ireland.
Mann is among the replacements, where his colleagues include his fellow Cardiff forward Mackenzie Martin, the Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies and Dee, who has 49 caps.
“I don’t think it is a risk with Daf at six,” Forshaw said. “He is around two very smart back-rowers. Will Rowlands played 70 minutes on the weekend in Paris [for his club Racing 92]. I saw glimpses of him getting back to his best. I think it is a good fit for us this week.”