Ross Moriarty set to make Wales debut against Ireland
- Published
Rugby World Cup warm-up: Wales v Ireland |
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Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Kick-off: 14:30 BST, 8 August |
Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, Radio Wales and Radio Cymru |
Ross Moriarty, Tyler Morgan, Eli Walker and Dominic Day will make their Wales debuts in Saturday's World Cup warm-up match against Ireland in Cardiff.
Gloucester's Moriarty, 21, is at blind-side flanker, with Day, 29, at lock in a side captained by Scott Williams.
Newport Gwent Dragons centre Morgan, 19, was part of Wales' Six Nations squad but did not make an appearance.
Ospreys wing Walker, 23, has been unfortunate with injuries but gets his chance in the absence of George North.
British and Irish Lions wing North, who missed the final 10 weeks of last season with concussion, will not feature at the Millennium Stadium, but could return when the two sides meet again in Dublin on 29 August.
Moriarty has played for England Under-20s, but qualifies for Wales through his father - former dual-code Wales international Paul - while his uncle Richard is a former Wales captain.
He will line up in the back row with Justin Tipuric at open-side and Dan Baker at number eight, while Day packs down alongside Jake Ball.
Moriarty's Gloucester team-mate James Hook gets the nod at fly-half with Mike Phillips at scrum-half - the first time the pair have started at half-back together since the 2011 World Cup third-place play-off against Australia.
Ospreys pair Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb are the first-choice Wales half-back pairing, with Gareth Davies, Lloyd Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Matthew Morgan, Rhys Patchell and Rhys Priestland the other half-backs in contention.
Morgan lines up at outside centre in a midfield with captain Williams, while Morgan's fellow Dragon Hallam Amos, winning his second cap, starts at full-back and Alex Cuthbert is on the other wing to Walker.
The starting front row to face Ireland is anchored by Lions hooker Richard Hibbard, alongside loose-head Nicky Smith and Aaron Jarvis at tight-head.
Two uncapped players are named among the replacements - Cardiff Blues duo Kristian Dacey and Anscombe.
Scott Andrews, Lloyd Williams, Rob Evans, James King, Taulupe Faletau and Matthew Morgan complete the bench.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland will reduce his 47-man squad to between 36 and 38 players after the game in Cardiff.
The squad will be further whittled down to a final 31 on 31 August.
"Saturday is a real opportunity for these players to put their hand up," Gatland said.
"We have been really impressed over the last few weeks, we have put the players under a lot of pressure and they have responded really well.
"Today is their opportunity to show what they can do on the international stage.
"We have the right blend of youth and experience and it's all about grasping the chance at this level.
"It's going to be a huge occasion, Ireland coming to town, a packed Millennium Stadium and players with everything to play for."
Full-back or wing Liam Williams, plus props Samson Lee and Rhodri Jones are injured but remain in World Cup contention.
British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies will miss the World Cup after the centre suffered a serious knee injury playing for Clermont Auvergne.
Wales play their first World Cup match against Uruguay on Sunday, 20 September.
WALES TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND:
Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Scott Williams (Scarlets, capt), Eli Walker (Ospreys); James Hook (Gloucester Rugby), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro); Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Dominic Day (Bath Rugby), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, vice-capt), Dan Baker (Ospreys).
Replacements: Rob Evans (Scarlets), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), James King (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Morgan (Bristol Rugby).
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