SIX NATIONS 2009 - ITALY v WALES
Venue: Stadio Flaminio Date: Saturday, 14 March Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC ONE Wales and online, full commentary on BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and online plus score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live
 Gavin Henson has been kept out of the Wales side by a string of injuries |
Former Wales captain Mark Taylor says his successor at centre Gavin Henson is the best in the world in his position. Taylor also believes Henson will bring the best out of fellow centre Jamie Roberts when the pair line up for the first time together against Italy. "Gavin is the best 12 in the world," said former Lions centre Taylor. "He takes the ball up to the line better than anyone else, he can distribute, he's got the strength to go through a gap and the pace to finish." Roberts has earned rave reviews since entering the Test arena in last year's Six Nations, making his debut on the wing against Scotland as Wales marched to the Grand Slam. The commitment of the Cardiff Blues man has been such that he suffered a fractured skull in the autumn win over Australia, but returned to fitness in time for this Six Nations campaign. Roberts admits his preferred position is at full-back, yet the 6ft 4in powerhouse has made the most impact since being shifted into centre. Gwyn Jones' guide to beating Italy But Taylor, who has won 53 caps for Wales and five for the Lions, believes opponents have worked out how to nullify Wales' tactic of using Roberts as the crash-ball inside centre. Scotland had little answer to Roberts in Wales' opening 2009 Six Nations victory at Murrayfield. But England moved back-row Joe Worsley into midfield to combat Roberts - although the English narrowly lost in Cardiff - while France derailed Wales' hopes of back-to-back Grand Slams with defeat in Paris. Henson's return to Wales' starting XV for the first time in almost 12 months, after a string of injuries, to inside centre and the number 12 jersey has meant Roberts has moved to outside centre for the trip to Rome. "It will certainly shift the focus of the Wales attack," Taylor told BBC Wales' Scrum V programme. "Where it worked so well against Scotland with Jamie on the game line, I think England worked Wales out in that area. "It didn't really seem to change against France, we were still sending Jamie up the middle.  | 606: DEBATE |
"Gavin is the key to any successful Welsh side and having Jamie that little bit wider out will suit him better as well. "Essentially he is a back-three player. If you look at the England game particularly how he took Mike Tindall on the outside, went away and I think Wales eventually scored off it. "I think it'll suit Jamie as well, it'll give him a little bit more time on the ball. "Overall, it looks on paper like the dream selection. Obviously it'll be interesting to see if it happens in the game." Italy are winless so far and seem destined for the wooden spoon, and Wales will expect to beat the Azzurri to set up a likely championship decider against Ireland in Cardiff on the last weekend.
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Mark Jones (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); John Yapp (Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Rhys Thomas (Dragons), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (capt, Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Andy Powell (Blues).
Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Bradley Davies (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Warren Fury (London Irish), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues).
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