Justin Tipuric will make his first Wales start in the RBS 6 Nations Championship match against Italy at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday with squad captain Sam Warburton ruled out of contention this weekend with a knee problem.
In one of two changes, both up front, to the starting line-up which beat England to lift the Triple Crown at Twickenham last time out, Blues open-side flanker Warburton is replaced by fellow back row specialist Tipuric (Ospreys) who wins his fourth cap but starts for the first time.
Former squad captain Matthew Rees will pack down at hooker between fellow 2009 British & Irish Lions props Jenkins and Adam Jones (Ospreys) to win his 49th cap, replacing fellow Scarlet Ken Owens who moves to the bench.
In the backs a rapid return from injury for Blues centre Jamie Roberts (knee) means Wales are able to field the same back line for the fourth match running.
There are three changes on the bench with Owens replacing Ospreys hooker Richard Hibbard and Dragons lock Luke Charteris, who completed his return from a wrist injury for his region on Friday, in for the promoted Tipuric. Perpignan fly-half James Hook, now fully recovered from the illness (chicken pox) which meant he was a last minute withdrawal last week in London, returns to the bench in place of Scarlets playmaker Stephen Jones.
Blues prop Jenkins wins his 86th cap having led Wales three times already, the first time against South Africa in November 2007 when he became the 125th Welsh captain, and he takes charge of a side victorious in its last three matches and leading the Championship table with just two weekends of action left.
“Due to injuries to all three players at one time or another we have not been able to field this 2009 Lions front row too often and so, although we are more than happy with the job Ken has done for us, we are giving Matthew the opportunity make his contribution as the competition reaches its climax,” said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
“We are back at the Millennium Stadium in front of our home fans and we need to refocus sharply, after our Triple Crown triumph at Twickenham, if we are to give ourselves the best chance of being in contention for the Championship going into that final weekend against France.
“Italy will be hoping to find us complacent and with one eye on the French game, but nothing less than victory on Saturday will be accepted by this Wales team or satisfy the nation behind us and all of that leaves the players themselves brimming with ruthless intent.”
Tickets sales are about to break through the 60,000 mark and, although tickets are selling in their hundreds on a daily basis, with 74,500 seats the Millennium Stadium still has capacity. Tickets are available online at wru.co.uk and ticketlineuk.com or from the telephone hotline 02920 230130.
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Michael Phillips; Gethin Jenkins (C), Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Ken Owens, Paul James, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams
WALES
15 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs
International record: 30 caps (W 15, L 15; 119 pts – 11T, 5C, 18PG)
14 Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,089)
DoB: 05.04.90. 6’6” / 1.98m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 3, L 1; 5 pts – 1T)
13 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,066)
DoB: 05.04.88. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 8lb / 105kgs
International record: 24 caps (W 14, L 10; 35 pts – 7T)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 42 caps (W 21, L 21; 20 pts – 4T)
11 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 19 caps (W 9, L 9, D 1; 50 pts – 10T)
10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080)
DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 9, L 4; 50 pts – 1T, 12C, 7PG)
9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE – Cap No 1,022)
DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs
International record: 63 caps (W 31, L 30, D 2; 40 pts – 8T)
1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2” / 1.88m. 19st 1lb / 121kgs
International record: 85 caps (W 39, L 44, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)
2 Matthew REES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,033)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs
International record: 48 caps (W 20, L 27, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
3 Adam JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,018)
DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0” / 1.83m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 78 caps (W 38, L 37, D 3; 10 pts – 2T)
4 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,046)
DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5” / 1.96m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 60 caps (W 26, L 34; 35 pts – 7T)
5 Ian EVANS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,045)
DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8” / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
International record: 20 caps (W 9, L 10, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,071)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6’4”. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
International record: 22 caps (W 10, L 11, D 1)
7 Justin TIPURIC (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,087)
DoB: 06.08.89. 1.88m / 6’2” 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 2, L 1)
8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 14 caps (W 8, L 6; 10 pts – 2T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Ken OWENS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,088)
DoB: 03.01.87. 6’1” / 1.86m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 3)
17 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,021)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1” / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs
International record: 33 caps (W 14, L 18, D 1)
18 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,030)
DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9” / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 16, L 16)
19 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs
International record: 61 caps (W 31, L 28, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)
20 Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,086)
DoB: 30.11.89. 6’0” / 1.83m. 14st 1lb / 89kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 4, L 2; 10 pts – 2T)
21 James HOOK (PERPIGNAN – Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs
International record: 61 caps (W 27, L 32, D 2; 326 pts – 12T, 40C, 58PG, 4DG)
22 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 6, L 4; 25 pts – 5T)