Jones in for chicken pox victim Hook
Veteran flyhalf Stephen Jones will take the place of James Hook on the Wales bench for the Six Nations international against England, after the Perpignan back was ruled out with chicken pox.
Hook joined up with the Wales squad at their London base on Thursday after flying in from France.
But although physically well, a team statement said it was felt that in the “best interests of Welsh team and the opposition, he should be withdrawn from the game,” at Twickenham on Saturday where Six Nations table-toppers Wales will be chasing a Triple Crown.
Jones, Wales’s most capped player with 104 Test appearances, will wear the No.21 shirt vacated by Hook.
The 34-year-old Scarlets veteran, a renowned goal-kicker, will provide cover primarily for playmaking flyhalf Rhys Priestland, one of the stars of Wales’ run to the semifinals of last year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Wales – revised: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Michael Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (captain), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Paul James, 18 Ryan Jones, 19 Justin Tipuric, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Stephen Jones, 22 Scott Williams.
Date: Saturday, February 25
Venue: Twickenham, London
Kick-off: 16.00 (16.00 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Pascal Gauzere (France)
TMO: Iain Ramage (Scotland)
