Six Nations 2010: Warren Gatland turns to TV to solve Wales injury crisis for France clash

By Graham Clutton Published: 8:53PM GMT twenty-one February 2010

Much to ponder: a litany of injuries have difficult Warren Gatland"s preference of the Wales group to face France on Friday Photo: GETTY IMAGES

With injuries to Alun-Wyn Jones, Gareth Williams and Matthew Rees causing serve front-five problems and Andy Powell"s impulse of stupidity with a golf cart formulating difficulties in the behind row, Gatland and his coaching group substituted time off for dual days scanning this weekend"s games in the Magners League and Guinness Premiership.

And carrying taken in the likes of Sale Sharks and Leeds, the Dragons and Ulster and Cardiff Blues in Glasgow and the Scarlets diversion opposite Leinster in Dublin, Gatland afterwards left his road house room at the Vale of Glamorgan to watch the returning Mike Phillips in movement for the Ospreys opposite Connacht.

Williams out of France strife Jones out of Six Nations Powell vows to win behind place Powell forsaken by Gatland Big hits risking deadly stroke Sport on radio

In the finish this afternoon"s group preference for the compare at the Millennium Stadium is doubtful to throw up most surprises. However, no fewer than a dozen players came underneath the spotlight together with Dwayne Peel, who was on Sunday night called in to the squad, Phillips, Dragons span Luke Charteris and Danny Lydiate, Ospreys close Ian Gough and Scarlets harlot Ken Owens.

The steer of Phillips, 27, creation his long-overdue lapse for the Ospreys, despite as deputy in Sunday"s feat at the Liberty Stadium, would positively have come as a poignant progress to Gatland, who has longed for the stroke of last summer"s British and Irish Lions" first-choice collect at scrum half.

Ospreys executive of rugby Scott Johnson said: "He is positively a little approach off, nonetheless either or not he is considered, is a preference to be taken by others."

Cardiff Blues scrum-half Richie Rees and Peel will conflict it out to reinstate the out-of-form Gareth Cooper, whilst Jonathan Thomas could return to the behind row in place of Powell, withdrawal Charteris to stick on Bradley Davies in the second row.

With Williams and Rees ruled out by injury, Huw Bennett will begin at harlot for the initial time given the feat over Samoa in November.

France have their own damage problems with Fulgence Ouedraogo and Sylvain Marconnet carrying been transposed by Montpellier flanker Alexandre Lapandry and Racing Metro column Clement Baiocco respectively.

Riki Flutey, the England behind who has been personification for the French bar Brive, is set to pointer a two-year understanding to fool around for Munster from subsequent season.