Jenkins unleashes his ‘hair bears’

Wales’s head coach has recalled Ospreys pair Duncan and Adam Jones and hopes that his gamble bears fruit as Wales look to get back on track at Murrayfield following last weekend’s defeat by Ireland.

“It’s about horses for courses and bringing in Adam and Duncan will energise the team,” said Jenkins. “I have selection options, particularly in the forwards, which can keep the side fresh.

“A six day turn around between two Tests is tough – there was tiredness at the start of the week in training. I wasn’t surprised about that, our front-row attacked for the full eighty minutes to the best of their ability; they chucked the kitchen sink at the Irish front-row.”

The ball-carrying duo of blond-haired tight-head prop Duncan, nicknamed ‘Polar’, and his ‘Grizzly Adams’ teammate replace heavy-duty scrummagers Chris Horsman and loose-head Gethin Jenkins as the coach looks to recharge his pack.

The Welsh ‘Hair Bears’ were last on the prowl when they were defeated 45-10 by the All Blacks in November but their presence hints at a policy of all-out attack on the Scots. Wales have also been boosted by the return of Scarlets flyer Mark Jones while Grand Slam star Robert Sidoli is also back in the second row.

Jenkins said, “Ian Gough probably had one of his most effective games for Wales; he hit so many contact areas physically and was an unseen hero. Yet that takes its toll and we have got Gough on the bench – I think in this type of game with such a short turn around you have to rely on your 22 players not your 15.

“Robert has had a couple of unlucky bounces, he had a summer off and came back fit and strong before he picked up a shoulder injury, so it’s good to have him to rely on.”

Jenkins has kept faith with his midfield partnership of James Hook and Jamie Robinson and has the bonus of being able to pick Tom Shanklin, who has recovered from injury and is named on the bench.

Wales: K Morgan; M Jones, J Robinson, J Hook, C Czekaj; S Jones (capt), D Peel; D Jones, R Thomas, A Jones, R Sidoli, AW Jones, A Popham, M Williams, R Jones

Replacements: M Rees, G Jenkins, I Gough, J Thomas, M Phillips, C Sweeney, T Shanklin

Scotland: H Southwell (Edinburgh), S Lamont (Northampton Saints), M Di Rollo (Edinburgh), R Dewey (Edinburgh), C Paterson (Edinburgh) capt, P Godman (Edinburgh), C Cusiter (Border Reivers), G Kerr (Border Reivers), D Hall (Edinburgh), E Murray (Glasgow), J Hamilton (Leicester Tigers), S Murray (Edinburgh), S Taylor (Edinburgh), K Brown (Border Reivers), D Callam (Edinburgh)

Replacements: R Ford (Border Reivers), A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), N Hines (Perpignan), A Hogg (Edinburgh), R Lawson (Gloucester), S Webster (Edinburgh), N Walker (Ospreys)