Rugby/ Six Nations Championship: The Welsh coach Gareth Jenkins, when announcing his side yesterday, made no bones about targeting the Irish scrum in Sunday's RBS Six Nations game at the Millennium Stadium.
As a signal of intent, the selection of Worcester's Chris Horsman - renowned as a destructive tighthead - alongside Lions loosehead Gethin Jenkins and Cardiff hooker Rhys Thomas, is fairly clear-cut.
Leicester having provided a template of sorts when attacking the Munster scrum at Thomond Park a fortnight ago, Wales are seeking to emulate the Tigers, and Jenkins, starting his first Six Nations campaign, admitted as much: "We realise that Ireland have a particular type of front row. Ours is a tactical selection because the three players I've picked can challenge Ireland in that area. It's nice to have selection options in the front row and be able to choose a different style. I hope we can affect Ireland there."
"The scrum is not one of their strengths though I'm sure they will target our lineout."
The Bath-born Horsman turned down an invitation to play for England A in 2004 and qualified for Wales on residency grounds - he lives in Porthcawl - but since making his debut against the All Blacks in 2005 his Test career has been interrupted by suspension, injury and the club-country rift.
Hence, this will be his Six Nations debut, and though he was more respectful than Jenkins of the Irish frontrow, he appears of like mind: "All sides have strengths and weaknesses. Ireland have a fantastic lineout and are great around the tackle area. John Hayes has got 70 caps and toured with the Lions so to say he's a weakness doesn't tally.
"We have strength in the front row so we're going to go out and target them. We know it won't happen in the first minute but one penalty or one turnover is all it could take to make the difference."
It was thought the new scrum laws would help teams like Ireland, on the premise the closer engagement would soften the initial hit. But the former Irish tighthead Paul Wallace, for one, has suggested the big hit suited John Hayes, with his long back, and the new laws help smaller, more technical props.
Irish forwards coach Niall O'Donovan admitted this will be his first game with the new laws and said they had worked on them during the week, looking at foot positioning and being more dynamic in a smaller zone than before. "It's a bit of a myth that John needs a big step-in to scrum," he said. "John is a very powerful guy."
O'Donovan also reckoned there was no need for new laws if the old ones had been applied, and whatever problems Ireland had were largely down to opposing scrums illegally generating momentum through the hit without holding the scrum squarely.
"You can always pick out the ones in which we did badly, and the same with Munster to a degree, but there were other ones that weren't too bad. Now the way I look at it is that if you can get 50 or 60 or 70 per cent right there's no reason you can't get all of them right. And if we get that mindset, I'd have no fears for our scrum."
Following a raft of injuries to their backs, Wales have made nine changes, eight positional, to the side resoundingly beaten by the All Blacks in November. Shane Williams, Tom Shanklin, Sonny Parker, Lee Byrne and Mark Jones are ruled out, as is the Bath backrower Gareth Delve. A vacancy had been left on the right wing pending the outcome of Gareth Thomas's ERC hearing yesterday, but after the swingeing punishment handed to the former Welsh captain, Hal Luscombe moves from centre to wing, with James Hook now partnered by Cardiff's Jamie Robinson.
The ensuing vacancy on the bench may yet offer a lifeline to the pin-up boy Gavin Henson, tried at fullback last week for the Ospreys, but now clearly out of favour. A genuine talent is looking sadly unfulfilled.
Chris Czekaj will make his Test debut on the left wing, while Ospreys lock Alun Wyn-Jones will start his first championship game alongside Ian Gough, with Alix Popham, Ryan Jones and Martyn Williams forming a dynamic and well-balanced back row.
With the Lions halfback pairing of Dwayne Peel and Stephen Jones, Wales certainly have a strong and established middle five, but the same could be said of Ireland there and virtually everywhere else.
Jenkins admitted: "Ireland are a side in form who have been together a long time. Eddie O'Sullivan has progressed his team but the Millennium Stadium is a formidable place to play and the atmosphere is going to be immense. The first 20 minutes will hold the key."
