Shane Williams calls on Wales coach Warren Gatland to make Adam Jones SOS call

WALES should persuade Adam Jones to answer a front row SOS and come out of retirement for their Italian job in Rome on Saturday.

Wales made me proud - Gatland [AMBIENT]

Shane Williams has called for Warren Gatland to make the dramatic move to give Wales the best possible chance of racking up the points they need to overhaul England and Ireland in the race for the Six Nations’ title.

The 34-year-old prop, who won 95 Welsh caps, called time on his Test career after being left out of his squad for the championship but Williams believes he could be talked around after the front row injuries suffered by Samson Lee (Achilles) and Gethin Jenkins (hamstring) on Saturday.

Italy have few strengths but the scrum is one of them – particularly with Martin Castrogiovanni back after a dog bite to his nose – and Williams believes that Jones’s experience would be invaluable.

“I couldn’t believe that Adam wasn’t in the squad initially. I’d have Adam back – I’d have had him there anyway,” said Williams.

“It’s a big ask for ask for Aaron Jarvis – he had a good game around the field when he came on against Ireland – but it’s a tough position. Tight-head props are the new superstars, the workhorses of the pack – and you really need your scrum set and solid. If you don’t get that you haven’t got a platform to play from and it’s a hard day for your backs.

“Adam’s played a lot of games for the Blues, he’s match fit so there’s no reason why he couldn’t come in and front up against a very, very powerful Italian scrum.

“Wales need to score points on Saturday and if their scrum isn’t functioning completely it’s going to be very tough for Rhys Webb or Mike Phillips to get good possession to Mike Biggar.

“Whenever I played with Adam the scrum was always rock solid and I was very thankful for that.”

Wales forwards’ coach Robin McBryde said yesterday that it was up to Jones to make the first move towards any rapprochement. In the meantime uncapped Exeter prop Tomas Francis has been added to the squad along with Saracens’ loose-head Rhys Gill as back-up to Rob Evans.

Shane WilliamsGETTY

Shane Williams believes Adam Jones can solve Wales' injury crisis

Wales also have a concern over hooker Richard Hibbard who suffered concussion against Ireland and have lost Wasps second row Bradley Davies to a shoulder problem.

Nevertheless, with Jamie Roberts expected to be fit after going off at the weekend, Wales have their big backline guns ready to try to set a target their title rivals cannot reach in a championship likely to be settled on points difference.

England currently top the table by four from Ireland with Wales 25 adrift of Stuart Lancaster’s side who play last.

Conventional wisdom has it that the scheduling offers England an advantage because they will know what they have to do against France but Williams feels that playing first will suit Wales.

“I think Wales are in the best position. The pressure is off them. They don’t have to worry about other results,” he said.

“If Wales can rack up 30 or 40 points against Italy – and they have the strikepower to score tries against any team – then the pressure will be on Ireland and England and they may try to play too much rugby.

“At home Scotland are more than capable of beating Ireland. And England against France is not a foregone conclusion by any means. France are a very powerful squad. If they gel at Twickenham they are more than capable of winning that game.

“One thing is for certain. It is going to be a great weekend of rugby.”

If Wales do take the title, they will have to wait to receive the cup. Six Nations’ organisers have decided to despatch the trophy to Twickenham and the replica to Murrayfield.

A set of winners’ medals will though be sent to Rome to be presented at the post-match dinner if Wales do pull it off.

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