The Wales captain Stephen Jones will miss Friday's international against Canada after yesterday failing a fitness test on his injured knee, but he is expected to play against New Zealand next week.
Gareth Thomas regains the captaincy and the full-back position with Wales making three changes to the team which drew with Australia at the start of the month: Mark Jones comes in on the wing in the place of Thomas, who takes over from Kevin Morgan, while James Hook replaces Stephen Jones at fly-half.
Mark Jones and Hook, who played in the centre, are the only survivors from the team which beat the Pacific Islanders last Saturday, with the Wales head coach, Gareth Jenkins, picking the side which is likely to start against the All Blacks, his captain apart.
"It is an incentive selection," Jenkins said. "What last weekend showed was that we have competition in every position and the players on Friday know that if they are going to be selected for New Zealand they have to perform to the best of their ability."
Jenkins said that Stephen Jones would play next week if fit, no matter how well Hook went against Canada, leaving him with the choice of Hook or Gavin Henson at inside-centre against New Zealand. "Stephen will play if he is available because the team is based a lot around him. That would leave us with a choice to make at 12, but what I am blessed with is options in all areas."
After Saturday's record defeat to the All Blacks, an injury crisis was the last thing the France coach, Bernard Laporte, must have wanted, but already this week he has lost his captain, Fabien Pelous, while there is a long-term worry with the news that his first-choice fly-half, Frédéric Michalak, will miss the Six Nations.
The Wasps hooker Raphaël Ibanez is likely to be named as France's captain for their return Test against the All Blacks on Saturday in Paris after Pelous was forced to withdraw with a cracked rib. Initially bruising had been diagnosed, but late on Monday x-rays revealed the injury was more serious than first thought.
While Pelous may return to face Argentina on November 25, Michalak, suddenly, is a long-term worry after the recurrence of a ligament injury in his right knee. The joint had already kept Michalak out of action from September 13 until last Friday night, but on his return for Toulouse against Bourgoin he ruptured the lateral internal ligament when tackled heavily shortly before half-time.
Michalak is to have surgery which will keep him out for four months, meaning that Laporte may have to persist with Damien Traille, who was anything but convincing against the All Blacks in Lyon, at fly-half.
Graham Henry has named New Zealand's "best team right now" for the second Test against France. The All Blacks coach made five changes to the starting XV that crushed France 47-3 in Lyon. The centres Ma'a Nonu and Mils Muliaina will replace Conrad Smith and Luke McAlister. Byron Kelleher and Chris Jack are back at scrum-half and lock respectively, and the hooker Kevin Mealamu takes over from the veteran Anton Oliver.
New Zealand (second Test v France, Paris, Saturday): McDonald (Canterbury); Rokocoko (Auckland), Nonu (Wellington), Muliaina, Sivivatu (both Waikato); Carter (Canterbury), Kelleher (Waikato), So'oialo (Wellington), McCaw (Canterbury, capt), Collins (Wellington), Williams (Auckland), Jack (Canterbury), Hayman (Otago), Mealamu (Auckland), Woodcock (North Harbour). Replacements: Hore, Tialata, Eaton, Masoe, Ellis, Evans, McAlister.
Wales (v Canada, Cardiff, Friday): G Thomas (Toulouse); M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Henson (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); Hook (Ospreys), Peel (Llanelli Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), I Evans (Ospreys), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys). Replacements: R Thomas (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Ospreys), Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), AW Jones (Ospreys), Phillips (Cardiff Blues), Sweeney (Newport Gwent Dragons), Parker (Ospreys).
Scotland (v Pacific Islanders, Edinburgh, Saturday): Paterson (capt); Webster, Di Rollo (all Edinburgh), Henderson (Glasgow), Lamont (Northampton); Parks (Glasgow), Cusiter, Kerr (both Border Reivers), Hall (Edinburgh), Murray (Glasgow Warriors), Hines (Perpignan), Murray, Taylor (both Edinburgh), Beattie (Glasgow Warriors); Brown (Border Reivers). Replacements: Ford (Border Reivers), Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Kellock (Glasgow), Callam, Blair, Godman, Southwell (all Edinburgh).
