Wales have Quinnell on hold

DAVE HADFIELD

Wales are holding back Scott Quinnell in the World Cup by leaving him out of their side for their opening match against France in Cardiff on Monday.

Quinnell has been suffering an ankle injury, but could be fit for the second, potentially deciding, match in the group, against Western Samoa next Sunday. Richie Eyres, of Leeds, who has also had an interrupted start to the season, is included in the side at loose forward.

Jonathan Davies, whom the Welsh management are anxious to shield from speculation about a change of code after the tournament, is at stand-off, with Iestyn Harris at full-back. Kevin Ellis will play alongside Davies at scrum-half.

The French captain, Patrick Entat, hurt his shoulder in training and will have an X-ray to assess the extent of the damage. If he is ruled out, Vincent Banet will take his place. Also doubtful for the match is the loose forward Thierry Valero, who will have a fitness test on a calf muscle.

In tomorrow's two games, Fiji are strongly fancied to beat South Africa at Keighley, with the Canberra Raiders' winger, Noa Nadruku, the man who can expose the Rhinos' lack of top-class experience, while New Zealand face a Tongan captain with much to prove at Warrington.

Duane Mann has lost his place as both Kiwi and Auckland Warriors hooker to the sparkling youngster, Syd Eru. He is joined in the New Zealand side by another of the country's new breed, the scrum-half, Stacey Jones, also of Auckland.

The Kiwis' most-capped player, Gary Freeman, announced when the side arrived that he would bring his international career to a close after this tournament. The loss of his place to Jones, plus the coach Frank Endacott's declared policy of playing his strongest 13 in every match, means that one of the great international careers could already be over.

Tonga would have been captained by Jim Dymock, had he not opted to play for Australia instead. There will be a Dymock in their side, however, with younger brother Angelo playing stand-off at Wilderspool tomorrow. There is another family link in the forwards, where Duane Mann's cousin, George, the Leeds second row, will be out to demonstrate that he too was discarded from the Kiwi side too soon.

WALES (v France, World Cup Group Three, Cardiff, Monday): Harris (Warrington); Devereux (Widnes), Gibbs (St Helens), Bateman (Cronulla), Sullivan (St Helens); Davies, (Warrington, capt), Ellis (North Queensland Cowboys); Skerrett (Wigan), Hall (Wigan), Young (Salford), Moriarty (Halifax), Perrett (Halifax), Eyres (Leeds). Substitutes: Cowie (Wigan), Cunningham (St Helens), Phillips (Workington), Hadley (Widnes).

FRANCE (v Wales, World Cup Group Three, Cardiff, Monday): Despin (Villeneuve); Banquet (Featherstone Rovers), Chamoran (St Esteve), Fraisse (Workington Town), Garcia (St Esteve); Fages (Pia), Entat (Avignon); Teixido (Limoux), Torreilles (Pia), Cabestany (Catalan), Jampy (St Esteve), Tallec (Wigan), Valero (Lezignan). Substitutes: Banet (Limoux), Jaavuo (Pia), Millet (St Gaudens), Herbert (Pia).

WESTERN SAMOA (v France, World Cup Group Three, Cardiff, Thursday): P Tuiamave (North Harbour); Koko (Narrandera), Tuigamala (Wigan), Schuster (Halifax, capt), Laumatia (Cronulla); Ropati (Auckland Warriors), Swann (Auckland Warriors); Solomona (Auckland Warriors), Poching (Auckland Warriors), Afoa (Penrith), Matautia (St Helens), Tatupu (Auckland Warriors), T Tuiamave. Substitutes: Panapa (Salford), Elia (St Helens), Vagana (Auckland Warriors), Perelini (St Helens).