Wales v Ireland - Teams

Wales coach Warren Gatland has made eight changes for the Six Nations decider against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Gatland rested several key players for last week's trip to Italy and had an anxious wait before the reigning champions eventually came out on top 20-15 in an untidy match.

But prop Gethin Jenkins, lock Ian Gough and flanker Martyn Williams all return to the starting line-up while Tom Shanklin is restored to the centre alongside Gavin Henson.

Shanklin, who came off the bench to score the winning try in Rome, is preferred to Jamie Roberts who drops to the bench, while fly-half James Hook makes way for veteran Stephen Jones.

In the pack, only Alun Wyn Jones and number eight Andy Powell remain from Rome, with Matthew Rees and Adam Jones returning to the front row and Ryan Jones replacing Jonathan Thomas.

However, Powell's participation could now be doubtful after he was forced to cut short Wales' final training session due to a sore thigh muscle.

The loss of the number eight, who has started every Six Nations game this season, would see Scarlets forward Dafydd Jones step into the back-row slot and Ospreys flanker Jonathan Thomas coming in as replacement.

Victory would see Wales land the Triple Crown but to snatch the Six Nations title away from the Irish they must beat their opponents by at least 13 points, something they have not achieved for 26 years.

"I don't mind admitting we have left ourselves with a lot to do to win the championship," Gatland said. "But, on the other hand, the 13-point deficit is by no means insurmountable.

"There is also a Triple Crown at stake and we know only too well in Wales that Grand Slams don't come cheaply.

"We've won two Grand Slams in the last decade and so all the pressure will be on Ireland to grab only the second in their history.

"With a healthy head start you have to say Ireland are probably favourites to take the title, but we are confident we can come up with a win.

"And who knows what will happen if we can get ourselves ahead in the game and that Millennium Stadium factor begins to kick in."

Three changes for Ireland

Ireland have made three changes for Saturday's RBS Six Nations finale against Wales as they attempt to complete the Grand Slam for the first time since 1948.

Number eight Jamie Heaslip, hooker Jerry Flannery and scrum-half Tomas O'Leary return in the only alterations to the side that beat Scotland 22-15 last Sunday.

Heaslip, a try-scoring substitute against the Scots, is preferred to Denis Leamy who is recovering from the shoulder injury he sustained at Murrayfield, but is included on the bench.

Ulster's Rory Best makes way for Flannery in the middle of the front row, while Peter Stringer - man-of-the-match in Edinburgh - is also relegated to the replacements to allow O'Leary to resume his half-back partnership with Ronan O'Gara.

Head coach Declan Kidney has opted to persevere with Gordon D'Arcy at inside centre, meaning Paddy Wallace must be content to warm the bench.

Kidney said: "The difference between the players is so small. The changes were partly for tactical reasons. It's about getting the right chemistry."

A total of 11 players have started every one of Ireland's Six Nations matches this season.

Victory in Cardiff would complete a long overdue Grand Slam and claim Ireland's first championship title since 1985.

Wales must triumph by at least 13 points to successfully defend their crown.

Wales: 15 L Byrne (Ospreys); 14 M Jones (Scarlets), 13 T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), 12 G Henson (Ospreys), 11 S Williams (Ospreys); 10 S Jones (Scarlets), 9 M Phillips (Ospreys); 1 G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), 2 M Rees (Scarlets), 3 A Jones (Ospreys), 4 I Gough (Ospreys), 5 A-W Jones (Ospreys), 6 R Jones (Ospreys, capt), 7 M Williams (Cardiff Blues), 8 A Powell (Cardiff Blues)
Replacements: 16 H Bennett (Ospreys), 17 J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), 18 L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), 19 D Jones (Scarlets), 20 W Fury (London Irish), 21 J Hook (Ospreys), 22 J Roberts (Cardiff Blues)

Ireland: 15 R Kearney (Leinster), 14 T Bowe (Ospreys), 13 B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), 12 G D'Arcy (Leinster), 11 L Fitzgerald (Leinster), 10 R O'Gara (Munster), 9 T O'Leary (Munster), 1 M Horan (Munster), 2 J Flannery (Munster), 3 J Hayes (Munster), 4 D O'Callaghan (Munster), 5 P O'Connell (Munster), 6 S Ferris (Ulster), 7 D Wallace (Munster), 8 J Heaslip (Leinster)
Replacements: 16 R Best (Ulster), 17 T Court (Ulster), 18 M O'Driscoll (Munster), 19 D Leamy (Munster), 20 P Stringer (Munster), 21 P Wallace (Ulster), 22 G Murphy (Leicester)