George North returns for Wales as Alex Cuthbert drops out against France

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/24/george-north-wales-rugby-union-six-nations-france

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Warren Gatland did not make any voluntary changes after Wales’s opening Six Nations defeat by England but two Lions are among the four casualties from the second-round victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.

George North returns for Saturday’s game against France after missing the trip to Edinburgh as he recovered from concussion but he has been named on the right wing, with Liam Williams, who impressed against Scotland, remaining on the left. Alex Cuthbert, who played in the first Test for the 2013 Lions against Australia, has been left out of the match-day 23 for the first time since he made his debut three years ago.

The hooker Richard Hibbard is the other Lion to make way, swapping places with Scott Baldwin, who leaves the bench. Wales’s set pieces, the line-out in particular, have been unprofitable this year and they wasted three key throws against Scotland.

The other changes are Luke Charteris replacing Jake Ball in the second row while the tight-head prop Samson Lee, like North, has recovered from the concussion he suffered against England and comes in for Aaron Jarvis. Wales have won their last three matches against France and have not made it four since the 1950s.

“We have made some tough calls and there were some tight decisions but it is a very strong team we are putting out,” said the head coach, Gatland. “We have a lot of strength in depth at second row and it is a chance for Luke Charteris to get a start

“We have been impressed with Bradley Davies [who has had a stand-out season for Wasps and has been promoted to the bench] as well. It is nothing against Jake but we have a lot of strength in depth and it’s an opportunity to see the other two.

“It’s an opportunity for Scott Baldwin to start as well, the last time he started he went well in the victory over South Africa. It is good to have Samson back available and it was a tough call in the back three but we have decided to go with Liam and George. We felt we improved against Scotland and we are looking for another improvement this weekend. It’s a tough competition to go on the road and ask for that but that is what we are looking for.”

Cuthbert has struggled all season and it may be a long way back for the 24-year-old. He was averaging a try every other game when he scored against Fiji last November but he has had four blanks since and two months ago turned down an offer of a dual contract with Wales and Cardiff Blues with reports saying he is looking to move to England or France.

Davies’s presence on the bench in Paris gives Wales extra clout in an area where France have strength. They have dominated their first two matches against Scotland and Ireland in the final 30 minutes when they have brought on some imposing forwards from the bench, winning the first and pressing for a draw in the final stages in Dublin.

Wales have lost both second halves of their first two matches, overwhelmed by England and, if not quite hanging on against Scotland, relieved that the referee, Glen Jackson, decided there was no time for them to restart after the home side’s second try in the final minute had closed the gap to three points.

Wales team to face France

L Halfpenny (Toulon); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Clermont Auvergne), J Roberts (Racing Métro), L Williams (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), R Webb (Ospreys); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), S Baldwin (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), L Charteris (Racing Métro), AW Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements R Hibbard (Gloucester), P James (Bath), A Jarvis (Ospreys), B Davies (Wasps), J Tipuric (Ospreys), M Phillips (Racing Métro), R Priestland (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets).