Rugby: Rugby-Wales coach Gatland makes major changes for England test

August 2, 2023 Sukan 6 Views

Fullback Leigh Halfpenny will earn a 100th cap and as many as five players their first after Wales coach Warren Gatland named his team to face England in a Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture in Cardiff on Saturday.

Halfpenny has had an injury-plagued few seasons but has been handed the chance to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup in a much-changed side, with Wales having lost the services of retired Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric in recent months.

Keiron Assiratti (tighthead prop), Corey Domachowski (loosehead prop) and Max Llewellyn (centre) are all in line for a first cap from the start, while former England international Henry Thomas and Taine Plumtree are on the bench and could make a first appearance.

Thomas, 31, won seven caps for England in the 2013-14 season but qualifies for Wales through his father. He has been able to take advantage of the same World Rugby eligibility rule that allowed Jean Kleyn to play for South Africa having previously represented Ireland.

Openside flanker Jac Morgan has been named captain and is part of a back row of the scrum that also includes Christ Tshiunza and number eight Aaron Wainwright.

Dafydd Jenkins and Will Rowlands make up the lock pairing, while hooker Ryan Elias has rookie props Assiratti and Domachowski either side of him.

Gareth Davies starts at scrumhalf with Sam Costelow at flyhalf. George North and Llewellyn are the midfield pairing, and Rio Dyer and Louis Rees-Zammit are on the wings.

“There is some great competition among the squad in all positions and we’ve selected a team this week with a few debutants, because we want to give them the opportunity to see what they can do,” Gatland said in a media release from Welsh Rugby.

Wales team:

15. Leigh Halfpenny

14. Louis Rees-Zammit

13. George North

12. Max Llewellyn

11. Rio Dyer

10. Sam Costelow

9. Gareth Davies

1. Corey Domachowski

2. Ryan Elias

3. Keiron Assiratti

4. Dafydd Jenkins