Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has explained his decision to hand the captaincy to Gethin Jenkins rather than Sam Warburton.
Warburton was named Wales captain at the start of the Six Nations but lost the armband due to injury, with Ryan Jones leading the sides in three successive victories against France, Italy and Scotland.
Jones has since been ruled out of the final game with England due to a shoulder injury and while many expected the captaincy to return to Warburton, Jenkins has indeed been given the nod.
"I spoke to Sam," said Howley.
"I think as a coach you have a gut feeling about a player and how he feels, and you always take a player's form into consideration.
"With Sam, the way he played against Scotland, the gut feeling was that I would rather he focused on his own game.
"That is how I saw it, and you have to make those difficult decisions when they come. It is in the best interests of the national team to be best prepared for England this weekend that Gethin Jenkins captains this side."
Comments
ArmchairGeneral says...
I wonder how many secret calls Howley is having with the neutral Lions coach.
Posted 15:32 15th March 2013
ShamanSheep says...
I'm fine with Jenkins as captain - I think Howley is correct not to make Warburton captain and they've never been that keen on AWJ as a captain in the past. These guys will still be on the pitch and able to give their own leadership; when the chips are down you need a good captain but I don't think Warburton is that good a captain yet so for this game it doesn't matter - Ryan Jones apart, nobody else stands out as the natural leader. I think the difference a captain makes is overrated in the media and among amateur players, where a captain can arguably have a greater impact if he's a good one. Its no coincidence that the great, celebrated winning captains of the past just happened to have enormously experienced teammates around them - Johnson, Eales. In a few years the same level of experience will be with this Wales team.
Posted 15:31 15th March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
A Captaincy call should not need explaining. If it does, it's the wrong call.
Posted 12:42 15th March 2013
Heathy says...
I also thought that a strange decision as I just don't see Gethin Jenkins as a captain. He's a really quiet guy who is rather in the background. He has also struggled this season and is only just getting back to form. I'm not sure if Howley really knows what he's doing it at least has a plan. Your captain is fit. Play him and retain his captaincy. If not, why was he selected as captain in the first place? All this swapping and changing doesnt help from a leadership perspective. Not a chance of Warburton leading the Lions and his coach hasn't helped that stance. Not that the Lions is an issue right now but there is a lot of disruption in the Wales camp. England are very settled and playing the better rugby. It's going to be interesting. England by 9!
Posted 10:39 15th March 2013
jontheref says...
Not a fan of Howley, but he has grown Ryan as captain, now giving the captain's job to another player.
I think it should have been Alun Wyn as captain with Paul James at 1, but hey, it is his job not mine.
I think Wales can do it, just hope they can!
As Max would say, "I'll be there!"
Posted 09:30 15th March 2013