Jones loses fitness race
February 16, 2001

Wales full-back Stephen Jones is out of tomorrow's Six Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Jones, who has been suffering from a muscle spasm in his lower back, will be replaced by Cardiff's Rhys Williams.

Wales coach Graham Henry has also made a late change on the replacements' bench, drafting in Pontypridd's Lee Jarvis as fly-half and goal-kicking cover.

Gareth Thomas, who had been picked among the substitutes, will now take Williams' place in the Wales A side to face their Scottish counterparts in Edinburgh tonight.

Williams, 21 next week now finds himself back in the big time.

He played in all three of Wales' autumn Tests, but then suffered a serious dip in form and confidence, highlighted when Cardiff crashed out of the Heineken Cup against Gloucester last month.

His full-back options greatly restricted, Henry then turned to Llanelli fly-half Jones to wear the number 15 jersey against England but a lack of experience in that position was ruthlessly exploited.

In Williams, Wales possess one of the quickest strike-runners around, but he can surely expect an aerial bombardment from Scotland fly-half Duncan Hodge when battle commences tomorrow afternoon.

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