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Sam Warburton (right) and Jamie Roberts (left) during a training session at Newtown Park, Wellington, New Zealand David Davies/PA Wire/Press Association Images
Enter the dragon

Four changes for Welsh side to face Ireland

Warren Gatland named the 15 men he hopes will end Ireland’s World Cup dream on Saturday morning in Wellington.

IRELAND, MEET THE Wales team you’ll face in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-final.

Warren Gatland this morning named a side with four changes from that which booked their place in the last eight.

In-form Leigh Halfpenny gets the nod ahead of James Hook and Lee Byrne at full-back; Hook is fit again after a shoulder injury ruled him out of their last two pool games.

Flanker Dan Lydiate is drafted back in however, having recovered from ankle ligament damage.

Winger Shane Williams, too, returns to the starting XV having worked out a thigh strain

“This is Rugby World Cup quarter-final time, and we had some tough decisions to make with the likes of Dan, Shane and James returning from injury and the side having done so well in their recent absence,” Gatland said earlier.

“But this is the side we have gone with and, as a 22, we believe it is the team which gives us the best chance of winning this game against an Ireland team which not only topped their group, but beat Australia on the way.”

More to follow

Here’s the full line-up: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); G North (Scarlets), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, c), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), P James (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Perpignan), S Williams (Scarlets).

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