England v Wales: Lock Alun Wyn Jones to set caps record against England

Alun Wyn Jones will appear in a Welsh record 135th Test when he captains the team in Sunday's World Cup warm-up against England at Twickenham.

The 33-year-old will make his 126th appearance for Wales, having also won nine British and Irish Lions caps.

He beats the mark set by prop Gethin Jenkins, who made 129 appearances for Wales and played in five Lions Tests.

Lock Jones leads an experienced squad, as coach Warren Gatland sticks largely with a tried and tested starting XV.

However, there has been a change on the bench with Ospreys' Aled Davies taking over from Cardiff Blues rival Tomos Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury in training on Thursday.

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Wales named an unchanged back-line from the side that clinched the 2019 Grand Slam against Ireland in March.

Gareth Anscombe starts at fly-half, partnering Gareth Davies at half-back, with Dan Biggar providing cover on the bench.

With Taulupe Faletau ruled out of the World Cup through injury, fellow Lions number eight Ross Moriarty continues at the base of the scrum in a breakaway trio that has Justin Tipuric at open-side and Aaron Wainwright in the six shirt.

Elsewhere in the pack, Nicky Smith, Ken Owens and Tomas Francis are named in the front row with Adam Beard partnering Jones in the second row.

On the bench, Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis provide the front-row cover with Jake Ball and Aaron Shingler completing the forward contingent.

Ross Moriarty (R) continues at number eight with Taulupe Faletau injured

Managing injury concerns

Davies joins Biggar and Owen Watkin as the backline cover.

Gatland added: "We originally picked Cory Hill in the second row, but his ankle is a little bit tight and we decided it wasn't worth the risk.

"Josh Navidi had been troubled by a hamstring injury and is back in full training today [Friday].

"We've been looking after James Davies, who's had issues with the back.

"Samson Lee has a hamstring issue. Rob Evans has a shoulder and a neck irritation.

"Hopefully they'll come into consideration over the next couple of weeks.

"We're trying to be smart about players we expose but also trying to manage some others.

"If we feel we need to protect some players then we'll do that.

"Fingers crossed that we don't pick up too many injuries going forward, we're bound to get one or two more but hopefully not too many."

After the Twickenham encounter, Wales host England on 17 August at the Principality Stadium, before home and away Tests against Ireland beginning in Cardiff on 31 August and then concluding in Dublin on 7 September.

They begin their World Cup campaign in Japan on 23 September against Georgia, before facing Australia, Fiji and Uruguay in the group stage.

"These matches are really important leading into the Rugby World Cup, to ensure that both the players are ready for the tournament but also to give players opportunity to put their hands up for selection," Gatland said.

"There is a balance with selection, a need to mix continuity from what we have achieved and opportunity, and we will look to do that over the next couple of weeks.

"Looking at the first two matches this block replicates what we are doing in the Rugby World Cup with a six-day turnaround, so it's a good opportunity for us to prepare and mimic that schedule."

Wales team:

Liam Williams (Saracens) (55 Caps); George North (Ospreys) (83 Caps), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (73 Caps), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (15 Caps), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (10 Caps); Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys) (26 Caps), Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (41 Caps); Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (28 Caps), Ken Owens (Scarlets) (64 Caps), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (40 Caps), Adam Beard (Ospreys) (13 Caps), Alun Wyn Jones (Capt, Ospreys) (125 Caps), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (8 Caps), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (64 Caps), Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (31 Caps).

Replacements: Elliot Dee (Dragons) (18 Caps), Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (12 Caps), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (12 Caps), Jake Ball (Scarlets) (32 Caps), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (17 Caps), Aled Davies (Ospreys) (16 Caps), Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) (70 Caps), Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (13 Caps).