By Country / Wales

Wales have made eight changes to their side to face Ireland for the crucial Six Nations title-clincher against Ireland.

Key features of Warren Gatland's side, include returning forward trio prop Gethin Jenkins, lock Ian Gough and flanker Martyn Williams.

2005 and 2008 Grand Slam centre pairing Tom Shanklin and Gavin Henson are reunited  outside Stephen Jones with Jamie Roberts having to settle for a spot on the bench.

Ryan Jones takes on the skipper's role from Alun Wyn Jones with namesakes Adam and Mark starting at prop and wing respectively.

Wales must win by 13-points to reclaim the RBS 6 Nations trophy.

Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); M Jones (Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), G Henson (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), I Gough (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys, capt), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), A Powell (Cardiff Blues).

Replacements: H Bennett (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues) L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), D Jones (Scarlets), W Fury (London Irish), J Hook (Ospreys), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues).

Earlier in the week, I was pricing together a jolly to Paris to watch RBS and the Six Nations committee test its waters under Parisian Friday night lights, but after the Euros ticked over the 400-mark (I lost count), I was soon reminded what Friday night's are best for - early finishes, beers, food avec friends.

So after a week's vacation, the RBS 6 Nations carousel spins into round three, always looking after number one - the consumer, or is it the customer? - and it all kicks-off a good 16 kilometres outside the Paris city centre, otherwise known as an industrial estate. Ooo la la! Gay Paree at its best.

Anyone that's had the luxury of swanning around the various boulevards near St. Germain, Monmartre and the Champs-Elysées at 8pm on a Friday will understand the catastrophic implications on flagging a tuk-tuk, let alone a cab or grabbing a seat on the Metro.

Could it be that Sir Fred Goodwin's last dying wish at RBS before jetting off with his lavish £693,000 pension fund, was to inflict yet another economically depressive scheme upon the world.

As a passionate English rugby fan, I very rarely take pity on the Welsh, but i'm glad it's not me (that's the best you're going to get).

So to the top brass at the RBS 6 Nations - it not only takes out the enjoyment of bouncing down to the corner shop to grab your Saturday morning read and mull over the form all morning, but what's next? Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday perhaps? Everyone and everything has a price these days.

It's not rocket science. Friday night sport is scheduled there for a reason - lower division football, Newcastle Falcons home games and Late Night Poker - because no gives a monkeys.

Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones is a hard-tackling bad-ass who burns up the yards on the pitch as well as on the open road to Tenby on his irregular days off fighting the law and rugby crime.

Although his stunts are usually confined to changing room pranks, AWJ is not shy of showing his emotions, going red with rage when belting out the national anthem or making a huge hit, instead of a blue flame.

As well as possessing superhuman strength, his durable hardcore outer shell keeps him free from injury and astonishingly in the starting line-up, be it for the Ospreys or Wales, every week.

Shane Williams returns to the Wales starting line-up to face France in Paris on Friday night.

Williams replaces Mark Jones while Gavin Henson is restored to the squad at the expense of Ospreys team mate Andrew Bishop.

Wales will be out to equal the record run set by England and France and go nine matches unbeaten.

Wales: Lee Byrne; Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Michael Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Alun Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones (capt), Martyn Williams, Andy Powell.

Replacements: Huw Bennett, John Yapp, Luke Charteris, Dafydd Jones, Dwayne Peel, James Hook, Gavin Henson.