Henry plays redeemer again

Tim Glover says the Wales coach is building bridges as he seeks new heroes

The poster campaign designed to promote Wales's match against Romania at the Millennium Stadium last Wednesday was: "New Heroes Are About to Appear." Nobody said anything about old heroes disappearing.

The week did not get off to a good start for Graham Henry, who was abruptly informed by Scott Gibbs that he would no longer be available for international rugby. Gibbs would not elaborate on his decision, although he is expected to do so in a newspaper next week, for which he will be well rewarded. "I've had enough," he said, indicating that his displeasure has more to do with being omitted from the original Lions party for the tour to Australia (he went out as a late replacement) and again against Romania than with the game itself.

Gibbs, who is 30, said he would carry on playing for Swansea, possibly for another five years. Compare and contrast with Allan Bateman who, at 36, is still full of running for club and country. The difference is that Gibbs isn't playing well, Bateman is. "Scott has made a difficult decision," Henry said. "I wasn't particularly surprised although I was very disappointed. He's been an outstanding player, very motivational, an icon. He has other priorities, greater than rugby. There comes a time when you say enough is enough. No, I didn't try to talk him out of it. It's very difficult to say to somebody, 'I think you've made the wrong decision, old chap'." Not that difficult.

Gibbs, a real Lionheart on the tour to South Africa in 1997 and the scourge of England at Wembley in 1999, could have toured Japan with Wales in the summer but elected to go on holiday. That wouldn't have gone down well with the Great Redeemer.

It appears that Henry has had a better rapport with the other Welsh recalcitrants from the Lions tour. When Colin Charvis was asked what he had learnt from the trip Down Under after the series had been lost 2-1, he replied: "Not to go again". Of the disaffected, not even Matt Dawson and Austin Healey annoyed Henry as much as Charvis. The Swansea flanker was slightly fortunate to make the party and was always an outsider for a Test place. On Wednesday he scored three of Wales's 11 tries in a record 81-9 home victory. "Graham and I had a chat," said Charvis. "There had been disappointment from both parties. We aired our grievances and it's been resolved. It's good to have a successful working relationship. If you make 10 points and seven are positive and three negative, everybody picks up on the negative."

Henry, of course, was keen to accentuate the positive on a night when any meaningful appraisal, before the hungover Six Nations engagement with Ireland next month, was undermined by Romania's poverty. With Neil Jenkins a long-term casualty and Iestyn Harris a long-term bet for the future, what did emerge is that Stephen Jones will partner Rob Howley at half-back against the Irish.

Gavin Henson's audition at No 10, during which he fluffed a couple of lines, was cut short by injury and Jones moved to his customary position of stand-off, from where he gave an exhibition of goalkicking that was Jenkinsesque. Against England last February he played full-back in the 44-15 defeat, and Henry's problems begin at No 15. He hasn't solved it since losing Shane Howarth to the Grannygate affair. Neither Rhys Williams nor Kevin Morgan look the finished article, although against Romania they injected a touch of pace.

Chris Wyatt was among the rehabilitated, which represents a change of heart by Henry, who not so long ago told Llanelli that the lock was no longer an international contender. Wyatt, who has been known to hit the Brains and the B and H, once missed a training session by sleeping in. The workout began at 2pm. Often fined by his club, he can sleep for Wales, but as a hugely gifted forward he can also play for them. He is now living next door to his mother-in-law in Newport and this is deemed to be a good thing for his future wellbeing.

"It's going to be a totally different game against the Irish," Henry said, "but if we hadn't had this exercise it would be pretty hopeless. We had three days together and it's given us a foundation. We were very rusty for the first 20 minutes but we scored some good tries. The guys are buzzing. It's good to get back on the bike."

A couple of months ago it was in front of 82,000 people at Stadium Australia; four days ago it was in front of 20,000 people against a country that twice beat Wales in the Eighties but has since been reduced to penury. "They never chucked the towel in," David Young, the Wales captain, said. Perhaps because they don't possess a towel.

"Our rugby has the image of our country," a Romanian spokesman said. "We have huge economic problems. There's nothing professional about it. Our best players move to France and Italy and so the standard at home declines. It's a vicious circle. Imagine if 200 leading players left Wales. We hope that Wales and England still want to play us."

England entertain, if that is the right word, Romania at Twickenham on 17 November, and in the interim Andy Robinson and Brian Ashton have agreed to visit Bucharest to conduct a coaching clinic. It is difficult to see what benefit Romania gained from a few days in Cardiff. The Welsh Rugby Union underwrote their visit but Romania did not receive a penny from the gate receipts. Not surprisingly their players are not paid.

They were without four top players, who were not released by French clubs. Under an International Board ruling those players will be suspended for three matches in France. It is designed to hurt the clubs but it is the players who are punished. Against Wales, Romania wanted to make changes to the second row but had no lock on the bench. When a wing dropped the ball in front of the Wales line it was because he had a dislocated hand. If new heroes are about to appear, they need to be in eastern Europe as well as South Wales.