Wales keep the faith for Cardiff

While the Irish fret about the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, Wales will attempt to halt their losing epidemic with a virtually unchanged side at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Coach Graham Henry yesterday unveiled a first XV with just two changes from the team which threw away a seemingly unassailable lead against Scotland at Murrayfield 10 days ago, bringing full back Stephen Jones back from injury and replacing right wing Mark Jones with the more experienced Gareth Thomas.

Henry knows that, after the Cardiff humiliation by England and the near farce of allowing Scotland to snatch a draw, only victory in Wales' sole remaining home game will lighten the mood of this proud rugby nation.

'In this part of the world it is either total ecstasy or total depression,' said the Kiwi charged with coaching the Lions this summer.

'There is no middle ground and everyone is on a downward curve at present.' Ireland will make the trip with supreme confidence after vibrant victories over Italy and France in their opening fixtures - not to mention an unbeaten record at Cardiff which stretches back to 1983. Henry, whose credibility as Lions coach would hardly be enhanced by ending the championship with a losing record, knows only too well the dangers posed by the visitors - if only because he'll be calling on some of them during the summer tour of Australia.

'Brian O'Driscoll is one of the best backs in Europe,' he said. 'Ronan O'Gara is playing very well and Rob Henderson has real ability to beat people.