Jenkins recall wins approval of Charvis

The captain of Wales, Colin Charvis, has backed the decision to recall Neil Jenkins for tonight's match against Romania at Wrexham, insisting the record points scorer deserves his place.

Jenkins will make his first international start for 18 months at the Racecourse Ground after the selectors opted not to give the rugby league convert Iestyn Harris the chance to further his international education.

"Neil is not here as an old head just to pass on advice, he is here on merit because of how well he has been playing recently," said Charvis of the 31-year-old Pontypridd player who will win his 87th cap. "I think Neil is a great professional, he shows everybody – whether they have won one cap or 40 – how to conduct themselves on and off the pitch."

Jenkins, who missed nine months of last season with a knee injury, is hoping to use his recall as a platform to press for a place at next year's World Cup.

Sonny Parker and Gethin Jenkins will win their first caps while Mefin Davies, Robert Sidoli and Martyn Madden get their first starts.

Romania, beaten 39-8 by Ireland recently, will be captained by the Aurillac centre Romeo Gontineac. The Grenoble scrum-half, Petre Mitu, and the Biarritz forward Ovidiu Tonita both passed fitness tests to take their place in a side dominated by French-based players.

WALES (v Romania; Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, 7.30pm): R Williams (Cardiff); M Jones (Llanelli), T Shanklin (Saracens), S Parker (Pontypridd), G Thomas (Bridgend); N Jenkins (Pontypridd), D Peel (Llanelli); G Jenkins (Pontypridd), M Davies (Pontypridd), M Madden (Llanelli), R Sidoli (Pontypridd), S Williams (Northampton), M Owen (Pontypridd), C Charvis (Swansea, capt), S Quinnell (Llanelli). Replacements: R McBryde (Llanelli) or A Lewis (Cardiff), B Evans (Swansea), G Llewellyn (Neath), G Thomas (Bath), R Powell (Cardiff), S Jones (Llanelli), C Morgan (Cardiff).

ROMANIA: D Dumbrava (Steaua Bucharest); V Ghioc (Dinamo Bucharest), G Brezoianu (Begles Bordeaux), R Gontineac (Aurillac, capt), M Picoiu (Lavelanet); I Tofan (RCF Metro), P Mitu (Grenoble); P Toderasc (Farul Constanta), R Mavrodin (Tarbes), S Florea (Chambery), S Socol (Brive), C Petre (RCF Metro), F Corodeanu (Grenoble), O Tonita (Biarritz), A Petrache (Toulon). Replacements: D Dima (Toulouse), M Constantin (Petrosani), M Socaciu (Rovigo), G Chiriac (Farul Constanta), C Podea (U Cluj), R Lungu (Perigueux), M Coltuneac (U Cluj).

Referee: J Jutge (France).