Wales coach Warren Gatland releases Cardiff Blues duo
Wales coach Warren Gatland has agreed to release flanker Martyn Williams and prop Scott Andrews so that they can play for their club side, the Cardiff Blues.
The Blues will play Aironi in the Magners League on Friday 29 October at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella in Italy.
Aironi is a Magners League bottom placed side that have yet to record a win in the Magners League. Gatland believes that Williams and Andrews will benefit from gaining some match practice against the team.
Williams has not played for two weeks. The veteran received a ban for foul play in a Heineken Cup match with Edinburgh.
The Welsh flanker was found guilty of kneeing Scottish full-back Chris Paterson in the back during the game. As a result he missed Cardiffs following Heineken Cup match against Castres and the Magners League game with rivals the Scarlets. Gatland will be
keen to see Williams in action in order to see the status of his fitness after the ban.
The Welsh coach will also want to assess Andrews' match fitness. The player has only started eight games this season and he will be eager to show the Welsh management what he is capable of.
Andrews is not expected to start in the test matches against Australia, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand in November.
The prop may get some game time against Fiji, but Gatland is likely to select Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins in the team to play Australia in the opening game on Saturday 6 November.
Williams is likely to start in that match provided he doesn’t pick up an injury against Aironi this Friday.
Gatland will hope that the game time will benefit both players who will face massive tests in the autumn series if they are selected.
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