AS long as he continues playing well in English rugby’s top competition, Eifion Roberts cannot be ignored for Wales’ Six Nations tilt.
That’s the view of former Ruthin scrum-half Rhys Hughes, who believes the Welsh scrum could come under pressure against Australia on Saturday.
Eifion Roberts was one notable omission from the Wales squad for the current series of autumn internationals.
The former Ruthin prop plies his trade in the Guinness Premiership with the Sale Sharks, but Wales head coach Warren Gatland has criticised the standard of the Guinness Premiership and also said that Roberts, at around 20 stone, had to lose weight and become more mobile to play international rugby again.
Roberts’ solitary Welsh cap came last November with a second-half appearance as a replacement against Canada.
“It all depends on Eifion’s performances for Sale,” said Rhys Hughes on the possibility of a Six Nations call-up. “If he carries on playing well for Sale, he couldn’t be ignored could he?
“If he carries on injury free it will mean he will continue working on his fitness as well.”
Wales have three home games in the 2010 Six Nations campaign, versus Scotland (February 13), France (February 27) and Italy (March 20), coupled with trips to England (February 6) and Ireland (March 13).
Roberts, who has been linked with a move to French Top 14 club Toulon at the end of the season, gave another 80-minute performance for the Sale Sharks on Sunday in the 24-17 away victory over Leeds Carnegie.
The Yorkshire hosts were 17-3 up with only 35 minutes left to play, but then came a great revival as Sale scored 21 unanswered points in an emotional second half.
A powerful Sale scrummaging effort late on led to the matchwinning try - and the scrum is one area in which Wales haven’t really been tested over the autumn.
“Certainly there are doubts there,” added Hughes.
“I don’t know, the Australians are looking fairly decent up front and I think Wales will be tested up front.
“I don’t think they have been really tested up front in the scrums yet - it’s being refereed very cautiously.”
Roberts’ Sale Sharks colleague Dwayne Peel will start at scrum-half for Wales against Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday in the solitary change to the starting line-up from the side which recorded a 33-16 victory over Argentina last weekend.
The 71-times capped former national captain replaces Cardiff Blues’ Gareth Cooper, who played in the 31-3 loss to the touring Wallabies wearing his regional colours on Tuesday night.