WALES coach Graham Henry has made Swansea's Gavin Henson the youngest national fly half in over a century and has asked the Press and public not to heap pressure on him.

Henson, 19 years and three months, is likely to play in all of Sunday's international against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium.

Cardiff's Neil Jenkins has fully recovered from a recent minor operation on his right knee, but is unlikely to be risked ahead of the British Lions tour. Henry said of Henson: "He has had a reasonably rapid rise, playing under-19s, under-21s, A team internationals and he's on the tour of Japan (all in his first season in senior rugby).

"But he is a player we don't want to dwell too much on because Welsh journalists in the past have made too much of the outside half spot and we don't want to put extra pressure on the young man.

"He's potentially a future international, he's not there yet, and he has a major challenge in front of him. We're trying to guide him through as best we can.

"Ten is a pressure position, it's the navigating position in the team, you have to run the ship, and so he has enough pressure just getting to grips with all those things without putting too many expectations on him.

"We are hoping he will quietly develop on the Japanese tour and become a potential international over the next 12 to 24 months.

"We don't know yet who the Barbarians will play in the back row, Josh Kronfeld, Bobby Skinstad, Ben Clarke, Pat Lamb or whoever, but it will be a massive challenge for Gavin.

"But it's not a major Test match and it's probably an ideal way of blooding someone."

Henry hopes to include all ten Welsh Lions at some stage, but has not yet named his starting XV.

Jenkins apart, No 8 Scott Quinnell is Wales' biggest doubt with an Achilles' tendon injury.

Craig Quinnell (Cardiff) returns in the second row in place of the injured Ian Gough (Newport), Mark Jones (Llanelli) plays on the wing in place of Cardiff's Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones (Llanelli) takes over from Scott Gibbs (Swansea) in the centre.

In addition, Iestyn Thomas (Ebbw Vale) and Duncan Jones (Neath) will play on the loose head, while Neath wing Shane Williams, former Ebbw Vale flanker Nathan Budgett and Swansea full back Kevin Morgan return to the squad.

"Shane's electric, a crowd-pleaser and puller and has been playing well for his club in recent weeks and it's another opportunity for him," said Henry. "We're playing Darren Morris (Swansea) at tight head because the Lions selectors are pretty keen for the tour of Australia to see him playing on the other side.

"We need someone who can play on both sides to go with Jason Leonard." Of Sunday's big game, he said: "It's not a run-around on a Sunday afternoon, it's a pretty serious occasion.

"I don't think you've seen as strong a Barbarians squad ever. Some of the best players in the world are going to be on display.

"It's the sort of occasion a true rugby fan would not want to miss and hopefully we will have a full house to give the players a resounding send-off ahead of the Lions tour and Wales tour of Japan."

Wales team: K Morgan (Swansea) / R Williams (Cardiff), M Jones (Llanelli), M Taylor (Swansea), S Jones (Llanelli), D James (Llanelli) / S Williams (Neath), N Jenkins (Cardiff) / G Henson (Swansea), R Howley (Cardiff) / G Cooper (Bath), I Thomas (Ebbw Vale) / D Jones (Neath), R McBryde (Llanelli) / A Lewis (Cardiff), D Young (Cardiff) / D Morris (Swansea), C Quinnell (Cardiff), A Moore (Swansea), C Charvis (Swansea) / N Budgett (Bridgend), M Williams (Cardiff), S Quinnell (Llanelli) / G Lewis (Swansea).