Ryan Jones will captain Wales for a record 29th time in the clash with Samoa at the Millennium Stadium on Friday night, and he will be supported in the game by the presence of a further six Ospreys.
Jones takes the record from Ieuan Evans and is handed the armband after squad captain Sam Warburton has been moved to the bench in one of five changes to the forward pack made for the visit of the South Sea Islanders.
A total of eight changes have been made to the starting line-up which went down to Argentina in the series opener, with three of those enforced through injury and the rest largely due to a desire from the coaches to make full use of their squad for the series.
Up front Ospreys flanker Justin Tipuric takes over from Warburton with fellow Osprey Jones also joining the back row in place of the injured Josh Turnbull (Scarlets). Blues lock Bradley Davies comes into the second row in place of the injured Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) – with both Turnbull and Jones ruled out for the rest of the series.
Osprey Richard Hibbard starts in the front row, replacing Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees, who was unavailable for selection this week with a calf problem. Bath prop Paul James completes the changes up front replacing Toulon’s Gethin Jenkins, who provides cover from the bench.
In the backs Mike Phillips (Bayonne) replaces Scarlets scrum half Tavis Knoyle and Osprey Dan Biggar comes in for Scarlets fly-half Rhys Priestland. Finally Ashley Beck (Ospreys) completes his return from a hip injury to partner Jamie Roberts (in the centre) in place of Scarlet Scott Williams – with all three Scarlets players included in the reserves.
Scarlets hooker Ken Owens and Blues prop Scott Andrews provide the front row cover on the bench and Perpignan lock Luke Charteris completes the reserves.
“With a short six day turnaround it was important for us to freshen things up and also make use of the competition for places we have within this squad,something which has been a key ingredient for the success of the squad over the last 18 months,”said Wales interim head coach Rob Howley.
"In making changes we also needed to bring in some genuine experience. It is important to have leaders throughout the team and we are hoping the likes of Mike Phillips, who made a positive impact last week, can bring his experience to the side.
“Ryan reaches an impressive personal milestone, it will be a huge honour for him but in the context of what happened last week his and the team’s priorities are about producing a performance.
“We know we are under pressure to perform and that pressure is greatest from within. This squad has shown in the past that we have the character and resilience to get back to winning ways. We have every confidence that we will come back strongly on Friday night.”
If Wales beat Samoa on Friday night Ryan Jones will take another record, this time of his interim head coach Howley – the pair currently share top billing with 15 wins each as captain.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Ashley Beck, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Richard Hibbard, Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Ryan Jones (Capt), Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau
Replacements: Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins, Scott Andrews, Luke Charteris, Sam Warburton, Tavis Knoyle, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams
WALES v SAMOA
15 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs
International record: 36 caps (W 17, L 19; 194 pts – 11T, 11C, 39PG)
14 Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,089)
DoB: 05.04.90. 6’6” / 1.98m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 5, L 5; 20 pts – 4T)
13 Ashley BECK (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,097)
DoB: 15.04.90. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 3 caps (L 3)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 45 caps (W 23, L 22; 25 pts – 5T)
11 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 25 caps (W 11, L 13, D 1; 55 pts – 11T)
10 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6’2” / 1.88m. 14st 1lbs / 89kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 5, L 4, D 1; 54 pts – 9C, 12PG)
9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE – Cap No 1,022)
DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs
International record: 69 caps (W 33, L 34, D 2; 40 pts – 8T)
1 Paul JAMES (BATH RUGBY – Cap No 1,021)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1” / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs
International record: 38 caps (W 16, L 21, D 1)
2 Richard HIBBARD (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,048)
DoB: 13.12.83. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 18 caps (W 8, L 10)
3 Aaron JARVIS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,098)
DoB: 20.05.86. 6’0” / 1.83m. / 18st 7lbs 117kgs
International record: 1 cap (L 1)
4 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6” / 1.98m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 36 caps (W 15, L 20, D 1)
5 Ian EVANS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,045)
DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8” / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
International record: 24 caps (W 12, L 11, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
6 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs
International record: 67 caps (W 34, L 31, D 2; 10 pts – 2T)
7 Justin TIPURIC (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,087)
DoB: 06.08.89. 1.88m / 6’2” 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3)
8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.87m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 18 caps (W 10, L 8 – 2T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Ken OWENS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,088)
DoB: 03.01.87. 6’1” / 1.86m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 5, L 2)
17 Gethin JENKINS (TOULON – Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2” / 1.88m. 19st 1lb / 121kgs
International record: 91 caps (W 41, L 48, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)
18 Scott ANDREWS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,083)
DoB: 01.08.89. 6’2” / 1.88m. 18st 7lbs / 117kgs
International record: 2 caps (L 2)
19 Luke CHARTERIS (PERPIGNAN – Cap No 1,030)
DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9” / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs
International record: 37 caps (W 18, L 19)
20 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,070)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6’2”. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 31 caps (W 15, L 16; 10 pts - 2T)
21 Tavis KNOYLE (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,076)
DoB: 02.06.90. 6’1” / 1.85m. 14st 5lbs / 91kgs
International record: 8 caps (W 3, L 5)
22 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080)
DoB: 09.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs
International record: 19 caps (W 11, L 8; 53 pts – 1T, 12C, 8PG)
23 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 8, L 7; 25 pts – 5T)