Hooker Sam Parry will make his first start for Wales as they look to end a difficult Autumn Nations Cup on a high with victory over Italy in the battle for fifth place in Llanelli on Saturday.
Parry has made three previous appearances off the bench, but will now start for the first time in between props Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis.
Will Rowlands will partner the most capped international of all time, Alun Wyn Jones, at lock with James Botham maintaining his place in the starting line-up alongside Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in the back-row.
George North returns to outside centre for the first time since Wales beat Italy 42-0 in last year’s Six Nations, while Kieran Hardy and fly-half Callum Sheedy are the half-back pairing. Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Adams and Liam Williams make up the back-three.
“Saturday is another opportunity for these players and for us as a squad. It is another opportunity to continue to build and to see the results of all the hard work in training,” Wales coach Wayne Pivac said in a statement on Wednesday.
“We have blooded eight new caps this campaign and importantly by the end of the match each of them would have had a number of appearances to their name. From the outset we wanted this campaign to be about giving players opportunity and we have done that.
“The hard work in training is coming through and we want to show that again on Saturday and finish the campaign on a high, with the performance and result we want.”
Wales’ solitary win in the campaign, as well as their last eight tests in all, came with an 18-0 success over Georgia 10 days ago.
Wales team to face Italy
Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones, James Botham, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Kieran Hardy, Callum Sheedy, Louis Rees-Zammit, Johnny Williams, George North, Josh Adams, Liam Williams
Replacements
Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Cory Hill, Aaron Wainwright, Gareth Davies, Ioan Lloyd, Jonah Holmes.