Head coach Steve Tandy has named the Wales team to play Japan on Saturday 15 November in their second Quilter Nations Series match this November at Principality Stadium (KO 5.40pm GMT. Live on TNT Sports, discovery+ and S4C).
Dan Edwards and Dewi Lake retain their places in the starting line up, with Kieran Hardy on the bench.
Dewi Lake starts at hooker and will captain the side, having previously done so for the two-Test series against Japan in July.
Joining Lake in the Wales front row are Nicky Smith, who is named at loosehead prop and Archie Griffin who is tighthead prop. The same trio that started the second Test in Kobe this summer.
Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard continue their partnership in the second row.
In the back row Aaron Wainwright starts at blindside flanker with Alex Mann at openside flanker and Olly Cracknell, who became the 1,216th Wales men’s international last weekend, is selected at No. 8.
There is one change to the Wales back line. Louis Rees-Zammit starts on the wing, having made his first Wales appearance since Rugby World Cup 2023 last Sunday.
Among the Wales replacements Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas and Taine Plumtree are the forward cover for this match. Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans and Nick Tompkins are the back-line cover.
Tandy said: “The props started the game really well [last week] and played 45 minutes. We were always planning to rotate those round after the six-day turnaround. Then there’s a reshuffle in the back row: Alex Mann goes to seven. We feel he's got all the qualities to play six or seven. Some of his attacking ability you've seen on the weekend and his defensive energy was outstanding. Then bringing Olly Cracknell in at No. 8 and moving Aaron Wainwright to six gives us a really good balance in the back row.
“Louis Rees-Zammit comes in on the wing. He played a good few minutes last weekend and we feel he's ready to return to the starting line-up.
“I think we've definitely seen lots of how we want to play against Argentina. There was lots to be pleased about – our attack I thought was excellent and I saw a lot of physicality – but there's lots to improve. So that's what we've been focusing on. We're looking to build on the first performance into this weekend.”
On Dewi being appointed captain, Tandy added: “When you see him in and around camp, he's brilliant. He's helping individuals. He drives the team. He sets standards of how we want to train and also off the field. He's an outstanding leader and I think he'll do an amazing job.”
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Mae’r prif hyfforddwr, Steve Tandy, wedi enwi tîm Cymru i chwarae yn erbyn Japan, ddydd Sadwrn 15 Tachwedd yn eu hail gêm yng Nghyfres Hydref Quilter.
Bydd y gêm yn cael ei chynnal yn Stadiwm Principality am 5.40pm ac yn cael ei darlledu’n fyw ar S4C, TNT Sports a discovery+ .
Y bachwr Dewi Lake fydd yn arwain y tîm, wedi iddo gael y profiad o wneud hynny yn y ddwy gêm brawf yn Japan ym mis Gorffennaf.
Yn ymuno â Lake yn rheng flaen Cymru fydd y prop pen rhydd Nicky Smith, ac Archie Griffin, fydd yn brop pen tynn – sef yr un triawd ddechreuodd yr ail brawf yn Kobe yr haf hwn.
Mae Dafydd Jenkins ac Adam Beard yn parhau gyda’u partneriaeth yn yr ail reng.
Yn y rheng ôl, mae Aaron Wainwright yn symud o safle’r wythwr i fod yn flaen-asgellwr ochr dywyll tra bo Alex Mann yn dechrau ar ochr agored y rheng ôl. Wedi i’r wythwr, Olly Cracknell gamu o’r fainc ddydd Sul i ennill ei gap cyntaf – gan ddod y 1,216fed chwaraewr rhyngwladol i gynrychioli Cymru yn y broses – mae’n cael ei gyfle cyntaf i ddechrau dros ei wlad ddydd Sadwrn yma.
Mae un newid ymysg olwyr Cymru ac mae’r newid hwnnw’n gweld Louis Rees-Zammit yn dechrau ar yr asgell, wedi iddo gamu o’r fainc i chwarae ei gêm gyntaf i Gymru ers Cwpan Rygbi’r Byd 2023 ddydd Sul diwethaf.
Ymhlith yr eilyddion i Gymru mae Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas a Taine Plumtree yn opsiynau o safbwynt y pac i Steve Tandy, tra mai Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans a Nick Tompkins fydd yr olwyr fydd yn dechrau ar y fainc.
Dywedodd Steve Tandy: “Dechreuodd y propiau’r gêm yn dda iawn ddydd Sul a’r bwriad o’r dechrau oedd rhoi amser ar y cae i’r propiau eraill hefyd. Dyna wnaethon ni wedi 45 munud o chwarae a dwi’n credu bod hynny’n bwysig gan mai dim ond chwe niwrnod sydd rhwng y ddwy gêm gyntaf yma o’r Gyfres. Ry’n ni wedi gorfod ad-drefnu pethau yn y rheng ôl rywfaint wrth gwrs. Mae gan Alex Mann yr holl rinweddau sydd eu hangen i wisgo’r crys rhif 7 a dwi’n credu bod symud Aaron Wainwright i’r ochr dywyll a rhoi’r cyfle i Olly Cracknell ddechrau’n safle’r wythwr yn rhoi cydbwysedd da iawn i ni.
“Mae Louis Rees-Zammit yn cael ei gyfle i ddechrau ar yr asgell. Fe gafodd dipyn o amser ar y cae ddydd Sul ac ry’n ni fel tîm hyfforddi’n teimlo ei fod yn barod i ddechrau gêm dros Gymru unwaith eto.
“Dwi’n credu bod y tîm wedi rhoi cipolwg i ni o’r math o gêm ry’n ni am ei chwarae am gyfnodau yn erbyn Ariannin y penwythnos diwethaf. Wrth gwrs bod lle i wella ond roedd nifer o agweddau o’n chwarae ni wedi fy ngwneud i’n falch iawn. Roedden ni’n gorfforol ac yn edrych yn fygythiol wrth ymosod. Mae angen i ni adeiladau ar y pethau positif hynny y penwythnos hwn.”
Wrth sôn am ei benderfyniad i ddewis Dewi Lake yn gapten, ychwanegodd Tandy: “Mae Dewi’n wych wrth iddo ddelio gyda gweddill y garfan. Mae wastad ar gael i helpu unrhyw un o’r bechgyn eraill. Mae ganddo rhyw egni arbennig ac mae’n gosod y safon disgwyliedig wrth ymarfer hefyd. Mae Dewi’n arweinydd aruthrol ac fe wnaiff waith gwych yn gapten ar y tîm.”
Wales team v Japan – Quilter Nations Series | Tîm Cymru v Japan
15. Blair Murray (Scarlets – 11 caps)
14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears | Bryste – 33 caps)
13. Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby | Caerloyw – 9 caps)
12. Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 15 caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 64 caps)
10. Dan Edwards (Ospreys / Gweilch – 4 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby | Caerloyw – 65 caps)
1. Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers | Caerlŷr – 57 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys | Gweilch – 23 caps) captain | capten
3. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby| Caerfaddon – 9 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs | Caerwysg – 24 caps)
5. Adam Beard (Montpellier – 59 caps)
6. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons | Dreigiau – 60 caps)
7. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 8 caps)
8. Olly Cracknell (Leicester Tigers | Caerlŷr – 1 cap)
Replacements | Eilyddion
16. Liam Belcher (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 3 caps)
17. Rhys Carré (Saracens | Saraseniaid – 21 caps)
18. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 16 caps)
19. Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby | Caerloyw – 5 caps)
20. Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 8 caps)
21. Kieran Hardy (Ospreys | Gweilch – 26 caps)
22. Jarrod Evans (Harlequins – 12 caps)
23. Nick Tompkins (Saracens | Saraseniaid – 41 caps)
