“They were marginal decisions,” commented Davey. “I have brought in Huw Bennett for Keiron Crawford at hooker and Robin Sowden-Taylor for Richie Pugh at flanker. I have also gone for a complete front-row on the replacements bench with only two backs.
“The reason for this is that I hear the Irish have a very strong scrum and we will combat that, while though James Stamatakis is now fit, I was impressed by his Cardiff colleague James Goode when he came on in Scotland and he stays in the squad.
“Bennett and Sowden-Taylor get the opportunity to throw their cap in the ring, but Keiron and Richie are certainly not dropped, as we must view all our squad in time for the Under-21 World Cup that begins in Oxford on June 13.
“Huw Bennett is certainly a Welshman with Welsh parents despite his appearances for England at 15, 16 and 18 levels. In fact, I don’t know if he has an English qualification.
“He suffered a shoulder injury and then a hamstring this season, but Mark Davies has sorted him out now. I think it was Mostyn Richards and Terry Cobner who helped influence him to play for Wales.
“On the bench we are without the Pontypridd prop Geraint Morris, whose knee injury from the warm-up in Scotland is so bad that he could be out for some nine months. We have brought in John Yapp, who has had good first team exposure at the Arms Park.
“We are also again without the injured Bridgend centre David Bishop, though I should think that he will be fit for the World Cup.
“If we defeat Ireland, we will go to France with heads held high, but we have to get over this hurdle first. We want a good pitch to play on and the weather looks good.
“People keep asking what happens when good under-21 players leave us. Well, our development system is good, but then it’s down to the clubs a lot. Provincial rugby should give these players a better chance. Let us hope so.”
Wales Under 21: G Swales (Swansea); W Kershaw-Naylor (Bristol), J Vaughton (Swansea),
G Henson (Swansea), M Nuthall (Pontypridd); N Robinson (Cardiff), M Phillips (Llanelli); P James (Neath, captain), H Bennett (Swansea), R Thomas (Newport), B Griffiths (Llanelli), J Thomas (Swansea), M Lewis (Pontypridd), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff), J Malpas (Cardiff).
Replacements: N Brew (Newport), R Richards (Neath), R Pugh (Swansea), J Goode (Cardiff), T Rhys Thomas (Newport), K Gay (Ebbw Vale), K Crawford (Ebbw Vale), J Yapp (Cardiff).
Wales have won six and lost four against Ireland, but have gained victories in all their four home meetings. This season they have beaten Italy 27-16(a), England 35-9(h) and Scotland 25-10(a).
Ireland this season have beaten Scotland 13-5(a), Italy 30-19(a) and France 13-12(h).
