LEE BYRNE IS targeting a Heineken Cup with Clermont Auvergne after dethroning Leinster but he may have to settle for a back-up role on Saturday.
The fullback has been recalled to the Welsh squad after a 16-month international absence. He is likely to start on the bench as Leigh Hal;fpenny is in possession of the 15 jersey.
Byrne told the Welsh Rugby Union website, “Leigh is playing well at the moment and has taken his chance well. There are other younger players coming through as well, but I am just focused on trying to get in the match-day 23.”
The 32-year-old admits he feared for his international future when he was not included in squads following the 2011 World Cup.
“I was playing well in France and it is nice that has been recognised and I have been picked on form. It is strange being the oldest and I have been teased about that. But I don’t feel that old.
“Looking around you see a lot guys in their early 20s, but Matthew Rees, who is the same age as me, is still here which is reassuring.”
Second row woes
While the return of Byrne has added a pacier dimension to a Welsh backline that is big on brawn, the second row is depleted beyond belief.
Alun Wyn Jones, Bradley Davies and Luke Charteris are out of the opener against Ireland and Ryan Jones, after a thumb dislocation, is touch-and-go to feature.
Wales’ defence coach Shaun Edwards revealed international latecomer Ollie Kohn, a lock with Harlequins who is Welsh qualified due to his randfather, had some teething problems in training.
Edwards said, “Olly plays for the team who are the number one seed in the Heineken Cup so he is obviously operating at quite a high level.” He added:
He got himself in the wrong fitness group today. He was with Justin Tipuric, James Hook and Lloyd Williams doing shuttle runs and I think that was a bit of inexperience on the international scene.
“He virtually held his own though so his fitness level for a man so big was excellent. Olly is a very, very powerful and genuine scrummager and there’s not many of those about these days.
“We felt we needed beefing up in that area and hopefully over the next few weeks, Olly will get his chance.”
