Injury-hit defending champions Wales have handed wing Josh Adams his first international start at outside centre for their Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
It was not an unexpected move from coach Wayne Pivac, who has long spoken of the virtues of Adams in the position. He will partner Nick Tompkins in the midfield.
Wales are missing a total of 680 caps through injury and look particularly thin among the centres, prompting a switch Pivac wanted to try in the autumn international against Fiji late last year before Adams withdrew from the game when he injured himself in the warm-up.
“It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” Pivac said.
“He’s done it in training and in small doses at the end of a game. We think this is a golden opportunity to answer that question.”
The back three is made up of wings Johnny McNicholl and Louis Rees-Zammit, and fullback Liam Williams. New captain Dan Biggar is at fly-half and Tomos Williams completed the backline.
Lock Will Rowlands is back in the side to partner Adam Beard, while the front row features hooker Ryan Elias, who will have props Wyn Jones and Tomas Francis either side of him.
Highly-rated flanker Taine Basham will make his Six Nations debut, joining Ellis Jenkins and No. 8 Aaron Wainwright at the back of the scrum.
Flanker Ross Moriarty is fit enough for the bench and looking to earn a 50th cap, while hoping to earn his first is hooker Dewi Lake.
Pivac says they know what to expect from Ireland.
“They’re a very, very tough, very physical side. So we know we’re going to have to step up in that area of the game and make sure we do that for 80 mins.
“We’ve got to be very disciplined and as a result be in there fighting for the right result.”
Wales XV to face Ireland:
Liam Williams, Johnny McNicholl, Josh Adams, Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit, Dan Biggar (C), Tomos Williams, Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Ellis Jenkins, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Owen Watkin