BBC SPORT | RUGBY UNION | Henry warns against complacency

Wales v Romania at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wednesday 19 September, kick-off 1930 BST.

Live commentary on BBC Radio Wales - listen online, plus extended highlights on International Scrum V BBC One Wales 2235-2325 BST.

Coach Graham Henry has warned his injury-hit and fatigued squad not to underestimate a determined Romania side at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday.

Wales have twice suffered humiliating defeats against Romania, so Henry realises that any degree of complacency could again leave the Welsh players with red faces at end of the match.

But Romania's preparations have been severely disrupted, forcing their coach to make six changes to the side that lost 37-3 at home to Ireland in June.

There's a lot of old faces and a lot of new faces and bringing those two combinations together is going to be tough

Wales coach Graham Henry

They will therefore have the advantage of being an largely unknown quantity, and Henry admitted he was unsure what exactly to expect.

"I've never seen them play," he said. "I've talked to the coaches who have seen them over the years.

"They're apparently very strong up front and they've had success at Cardiff before so we can't take them lightly.

"It's a Test match so it's a very important game. It's also a very important game in the build up for the Ireland game."

Henry is also using the game as he begins to prepare for the 2003 World Cup.

Swansea's 19-year-old fly-half Gavin Henson has been given the considerable task of filling Neil Jenkins' boots at fly-half, while Bath flanker Gavin Thomas wins only his his third cap and Ebbw Vale prop Iestyn Thomas his sixth.

Henry added: "They will be some rustiness there for sure. There's a lot of old faces and a lot of new faces and bringing those two combinations together is going to be tough."

Two of the most experiences faces are captain Dai Young and scrum-half Rob Howley.

Rob Howley
Howley has been in fine form recently
Young is the only survivor from the Wales side beaten 12-9 by Romania in Cardiff back in 1988. He has a score to settle.

He said: "Romania beat us, Jonathan Davies went north and we were all pretty low.

"We have to give them the respect they deserve as an international team and I think it will be a very hard game for us."

And as for Howley, he will join an exclusive list of Welshmen to win 50 caps.

He said: "I never thought I'd get to 50 caps, but its come around within five years because a lot of international rugby is now being played.

"But it's important we focus on Wednesday night. It's going to be a difficult game so we have to go out and play as a team."

Wales: Kevin Morgan (Swansea); Gareth Thomas (Bridgend), Allan Bateman (Neath), Stephen Jones (Llanelli), Dafydd James (Bridgend); Gavin Henson (Swansea), Rob Howley (Cardiff); Iestyn Thomas (Ebbw Vale), Robin McBryde (Llanelli), David Young (Cardiff, capt), Chris Wyatt (Llanelli), Andrew Moore (Swansea), Colin Charvis (Swansea), Geraint Lewis (Swansea), Gavin Thomas (Bath). Replacements: Barry Williams (Neath), Chris Anthony (Newport), Craig Quinnell (Cardiff), Brett Sinkinson (Neath), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli), Adrian Durston (Bridgend), Rhys Williams (Cardiff).

Romania: G Brezoianu (Bordeaux-Begles); I Teodorescu (Cluj University), N Oprea (Dinamo Bucuresti), C Lupu (Dinamo Bucuresti), V Ghiol (Dinamo Bucuresti); I Tofan (Steau Bucuresti), L Sirby (Steau Bucuresti); D Dima (Castres), S Demci (Dinamo Bucuresti), M Socaciu (Rovigo), M Dragomir (Dinamo Bucuresti), V Nedelcu (Dinamo Bucuresti), M Bejan (Rulmentul Birlad), D Iacob (Farul Constanta), A Petrache (Dinamo Bucuresti, captain).


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