Bishop has won 15 Wales caps since his debut in South Africa in 2008

Wales and the Ospreys have been boosted by centre Andrew Bishop being named on the bench for his region in the Magners League against Connacht on Sunday.

Bishop suffered an ankle injury on New Year's Eve against Cardiff Blues.

With Jonathan Davies (hamstring) out, James Hook plays centre for Wales against Italy in Rome on Saturday and Stephen Jones returns at fly-half.

Bishop's return should boost Wales' depleted midfield resources as the Six Nations campaign goes on.

Ospreys physiotherapist Chris Towers said: "Andrew has done really well in his rehab and has returned to full training this week."

Wales host Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on 12 March and a week later travel to Paris to face France.

You have Casey Laulala and Regan King playing at 13 [for Blues and Scarlets respectively] and often Tommy Bowe plays there for the Ospreys Wales coach Warren Gatland

Scarlet Davies joined Jamie Roberts in midfield for Wales' opening two Six Nations clashes against England and Scotland.

Wales lost the former 26-19 and bounced back with a 26-4 win at Murrayfield.

But in that encounter, in which Hook started at fly-half after Jones was dropped to the bench, Davies suffered his injury.

That forced Wales coach Warren Gatland to shift Hook to outside centre against the Azzurri with Jones, 33, returning at 10 for his 98th cap.

Wales are also without experienced Cardiff Blue Tom Shanklin (knee) while Gavin Henson has yet to hit form or fitness on a comeback trail that has taken him from Saracens to Toulon.

In addition, Gatland has again expressed concern about the numbers of non-Welsh qualified players at Wales' regions.

Gatland said: "The midfield competition is a concern for us as we have Jonathan picking up the injury and Tom Shanklin and Andrew Bishop injured, it is difficult when you are looking players in the regions that are playing there.

606: DEBATE It would be an insult and a massive risk to have played any other centre combination V Italy Denbighdimwit

"You have Casey Laulala and Regan King playing at 13 [for Blues and Scarlets respectively] and often Tommy Bowe plays there for the Ospreys.

"So if you pick up one or two injuries and you do struggle a little bit with depth for picking players into the squad."

Henson could make his Toulon debut when they travel to Clermont Auvergne on Friday, 4 March in the French Top 14.

Henson hopes to make an impact ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand in the autumn as he continues his comeback from a 20-month sabbatical that began for Saracens in December.

Gatland, though, has long bemoaned the amount of foreign players at Wales' four regions as the Kiwi coach believes it restricts the development of young Welsh talent.

The Welsh Rugby Union's five-year participation agreement with the regions, signed in September 2009, includes a commitment to reduce non-Welsh qualified players to six in each regional squad.

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