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Rees-Zammit and Jones are back as Wales make 7 changes for Italy
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has named a starting team to face Italy this Saturday in the Guinness Six Nations that shows seven changes from the 13-9 round four defeat to Grand Slam-chasing France last Friday – including the recall of Louis Rees-Zammit. The headline selection, though, will be the return of record caps holder Alun Wyn Jones for his first outing since suffering a shoulder injury against New Zealand in the autumn.
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His return at lock sees Will Rowlands in one of three changes to the pack. Dewi Lake is promoted from the bench to start in place of the absent Ryan Elias while Dillon Lewis is in for another front row absentee, tighthead Tomas Francis.
There are four changes in the backs, starting at full-back where Johnny McNicholl takes over from Liam Williams. The Rees-Zammit stint on the Wales bench is also over as he gets the nod to start ahead of Alex Cuthbert.
Uilisi Halaholo is choses at inside centre in place of Jonathan Davies while a switch at scrum-half sees Gareth Davies start for the first time this year in place of Tomas Williams, who was an early injury departure against the French.
Meanwhile, Dan Biggar will win his 100th cap for Wales this weekend while he also retains the captaincy even though veteran skipper Jones is now back at lock. Pivac said: “We have made a few changes this week. With one game to go there are some players we need to see out there and put them in the match day 23.
“We have certainly selected a side which we think can get the job done. Clearly, that is what we are here for. There is an opportunity to move up that table, so we think this is an exciting team and one we are looking forward to seeing out there.
“Italy are a side that is improving. They have had some bad luck here and there and with a new coach transitioning we know it takes a bit of time. But we know they have got some very good rugby players and as you saw against Scotland they troubled them in that second half and for long periods of the first.
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“So we are going to have to be on our game and we are very much looking forward to playing at home again this weekend. We had a good result against Scotland, gave the fans something to cheer about and came very close against an in-form France. Obviously disappointed we couldn’t get across the line for our fans there and we hope we can do that this weekend and finish on a high.
“We have said with other players reaching 100 appearances what an achievement that is and for Dan I know he has been looking forward to this moment for a long time. For him to achieve it with Al, who is also getting the milestone of 150 caps – which no other player has ever done – it is fitting for those two to share the day. They have played a lot of rugby together and have a healthy respect for each other. They have given so much for the game in Wales.”
WALES (vs Italy, Saturday)
15. Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets – 9 caps)
14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 15 caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 30 caps)
12. Uilisi Halaholo (Cardiff Rugby – 9 caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 38 caps)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints – 99 caps), captain
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 66 caps)
1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 9 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 4 caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 37 caps)
4. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 33 caps), vice-captain
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys – 149 caps)
6. Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby – 16 caps)
7. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Rugby – 29 caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby – 88 caps)
Replacements:
16. Bradley Roberts (Ulster Rugby – 1 cap)
17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets – 42 caps)
18. Leon Brown (Dragons – 21 caps)
19. Will Rowlands (Dragons – 17 caps)
20. Ross Moriarty (Dragons – 53 caps)
21. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 10 caps)
22. Callum Sheedy (Bristol Bears – 15 caps)
23. Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 19 caps)
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Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments