• Ireland v Wales, Six Nations, March 13

Ryan Jones to miss Ireland clash

Ryan Jones is replaced by Gareth Delve © Getty Images

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Wales captain Ryan Jones has been ruled out of their Six Nations meeting with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday, with Gloucester's Gareth Delve taking over the No. 8 jersey and Martyn Williams the captaincy.

Delve was called up to the squad on Monday due to Jones' ongoing struggle with a calf injury and slots into the back-row alongside Williams and blindside Jonathan Thomas. The in-form No. 8 has not played a Test since Wales' 2008 summer tour to South Africa.

There are starts in the pack for Dragons lock Luke Charteris, who replaces injured Blues second-row Deiniol Jones, and Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees. Rees replaces Huw Bennett in the front-row, with Paul James continuing to deputise for the injured Gethin Jenkins at loose head. Ospreys veteran Ian Gough returns to the matchday squad on the bench while Saracens loose-head Rhys Gill is again in line for a Test debut.

Richie Rees starts his second Test at scrum-half and there is a recall on the bench for Sale's Dwayne Peel following a knock sustained by Mike Phillips in the Ospreys' weekend defeat to Edinburgh. The rest of the backline remains unchanged following a narrow defeat to France last time out, with Shane Williams and Leigh Halfpenny out to add to their two tries in their previous two Tests. James Hook and Jamie Roberts remain in the centre and Stephen Jones wears No. 10.

"Ryan has been managing his calf, but it has hampered his involvement in training," Wales coach Warren Gatland said. "He needs to get it right for his own sake, as well as for his region, who have some big matches of their own coming up, and for the sake of the national cause as we count down to the World Cup.

"But it is an opportunity for Martyn, who is one of our key leaders, to captain Wales again and rise to that challenge after doing a good job against Scotland last year when Ryan was again forced to withdraw. This is is a great opportunity for Gareth Delve, who we have been keeping a close eye on and who is also a leader himself.

"We feel we have a loose forward trio here who will be competitive. Ireland are an impressive and experienced side with a pack of players who have been around for a long time and who are tough players. We know we need to improve, but we do think we have the talent and ability in this squad to match any squad and are confident we are good enough to win this match if we can get things right on the day."

Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Ospreys) J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), R Rees (Cardiff Blues); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues, capt), G Delve (Gloucester)

Replacements: H Bennett (Ospreys), R Gill (Saracens), I Gough (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), D Peel (Sale), A Bishop (Ospreys), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues)

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