Wales are decimated by injuries for opener in Dublin

The countries’ Six Nations opener comes four months after Wales claimed a comprehensive World Cup quarter-final win in Wellington.

While Ireland must find a way of coping without injured captain Brian O’Driscoll for the entire tournament, Wales might arrive at the Aviva Stadium minus seven influential players boasting 330 caps between them.

Prop Gethin Jenkins (knee), together with locks Luke Charteris (wrist) and Alun-Wyn Jones (toe) are confirmed non-starters, while Shane Williams’s retirement from Test rugby leaves a considerable void on the left wing.

But adding to Wales coach Warren Gatland’s fitness worries are centre Jamie Roberts, fly-half Rhys Priestland and flanker Dan Lydiate, with assistant coach Rob Howley describing the next 48 hours as “critical”.

Roberts has not played since suffering a knee injury two days before Christmas, Priestland hurt his knee during the Scarlets’ Heineken Cup victory in Castres 10 days ago and Newport Gwent Dragons flanker Lydiate has been nursing an ankle problem.

The Wales squad has returned from a week-long training camp in Poland, where Howley admitted Priestland and Lydiate had “very limited” participation.

Gatland has already put back his team announcement from today until midday on Friday, although Howley insists Wales are hopeful of their injured players recovering in time.

Luke Fitzgerald has an outside chance of being available for Ireland’s second game. He was omitted from the 32-man squad named ahead of Sunday’s opener in Dublin as he continues his rehabilitation from a neck injury.

But Ireland team manager Michael Kearney revealed that the 24-year-old Leinster winger could return in time to face France on Saturday week.

“Luke has a neck injury – an issue with a disc – and has been out longer than initially anticipated,” said Kearney. “He’s improving and we’re hopeful that he’ll be available for selection within the next week or two.”

Centre Wesley Fofana will earn his first cap for France when they take on Italy in their Six Nations opener.

The 24-year-old will line up alongside Clermont Auvergne team-mate Aurelien Rougerie in midfield for coach Philippe Saint-Andre’s first game in charge on Saturday at the Stade de France.

Francois Trinh-Duc takes over at fly-half from Morgan Parra who, after starting the World Cup final against New Zealand, drops to the bench.