Stoddart in, Halfpenny out for Wales

Wales have been forced to re-jig their back line with just days to go until their opening Six Nations match against England. Leigh Halfpenny has aggravated his ankle injury and the winger will miss his side’s first two games of the tournament as he recovers from his latest set-back. It looks as though the injury will only sideline the Cardiff winger for two weeks but that does rule him out of both the England and Scotland matches.

The injury to Halfpenny has resulted in Morgan Stoddart being named in the Wales team for the first time since the autumn of 2008. The Scarlets back will be part of a new look back three for the Welsh, with Stoddart and the returning Shane Williams on the wings and James Hook being handed the number 15 jersey ahead of Lee Bryne. Anyone who has been monitoring the 6 Nations odds will know it’s set to be a tight tournament, with all sides battling injuries and a loss of form.

Stoddart’s inclusion in the side has come as something as a surprise by Warren Gatland and the Scarlets man will be looking to make up for lost time. Stoddart’s last appearance in a Wales shirt came in the 34-13 victory over Canada two years ago, in which he scored a try.

Since then though, there has been a number of exciting young Welsh wingers that have leapfrogged Stoddart in the pecking order but the 26 year old will now have the chance to readdress that. If Stoddart puts in strong performances in Wales’ first two games of the tournament would make it hard for Gatland to put Halfpenny straight back in the side when he returns to action.