Six Nations 2022: Wales make four changes to face France
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Josh Navidi and Seb Davies are Cardiff team-mates
Guinness Six Nations: Wales v France |
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Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Friday, 11 March Kick-off: 20:00 GMT |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online from 19:30 GMT; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru; text commentary on BBC Sport website and app. |
Wales have brought in Cardiff duo Seb Davies and Josh Navidi in a back row reshuffle for the Six Nations to face France in Cardiff on Friday.
Davies is normally a lock, while Navidi has just been called up the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Centre Jonathan Davies is also included for concussion victim Nick Tompkins, while prop Gareth Thomas also starts.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has included prop Tomas Francis, who suffered a head injury against England.
Centre Owen Watkin and Josh Adams have also recovered from head knocks suffered in the 23-19 defeat at Twickenham.
Wales had been warned against picking Francis after the Ospreys prop collided with Watkin during the England game.
Television footage showed Francis staggering following a clash of heads, and he also appeared to lean on the post pads for support.
The 29-year-old was removed from the pitch for a head injury assessment that he passed, before returning and playing until the 56th minute.
Player welfare lobby group Progressive Rugby wrote an open letter to World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Six Nations last week expressing its concern over the episode, which is currently being reviewed by Six Nations Rugby.
Professor John Fairclough, a leading surgeon who has previously worked with the WRU, said he felt it would be "a grave mistake" if Wales selected Francis and that he would be at "unnecessary risk of serious harm".
A WRU statement said: "Tomas Francis and Josh Adams have been managed clinically by Wales medical personnel in following all of the required return-to-play protocols, as specified in the World Rugby regulations.
"Having suffered no adverse reactions and no complications in successfully completing each stage of the return-to-play protocols, both are available for selection."
Back row reshuffle
Dragons duo Ross Moriarty and Taine Basham started as flankers alongside Taulupe Faletau at Twickenham on 26 February.
Seb Davies, 25, finished that game in the blind-side flanker role after coming on as a replacement.
Pivac has been looking for a hybrid lock and flanker performer who can wear the number six jersey.
Davies, who has 15 caps, has previously featured at number eight for Wales.
Navidi played his first game in almost five months for Cardiff against Ulster last Friday.
The 31-year-old will start at open-side flanker, a role shared by Basham and Jac Morgan in the first three Six Nations games.
"Josh is a fantastic player and has played well for us in the past," said Pivac.
"He's come straight back into the side, so having 80 minutes under his belt for Cardiff, we think that's enough for him and we look forward to him being back out there bringing that experience.
"He's a very good player and has played at this level on many occasions so that's going to be great for us.
"Seb at six just gives us a little bit more size. It helps the line-out, but also in the wider channels where he often runs - he's got the skillset to trouble a few defenders out wide."
Moriarty is relegated to the replacements bench alongside Morgan with Basham dropping out of the match-day squad.
"He is a young player who has played a lot of big games in a row," added Pivac.
"He started to just make a few errors in the last game. Taine was very open and honest and he is working very hard at his game."
Tompkins has not been considered for selection as he sustained a concussion in Saracens' victory over Leicester last Saturday.
Ospreys prop Thomas has been preferred to British and Irish Lion Wyn Jones, while Louis Rees-Zammit returns to the bench.
"I think Gareth made a really big impact for us last week, as did a number of players, and so he gets to start," added Pivac.
"Wyn will finish the game this time as opposed to starting it."
Fabien Galthie's side are the only unbeaten team left in the tournament and remain on course for a first Grand Slam and Six Nations title since 2010.
Wales: L Williams; Cuthbert, Watkin, J Davies, Adams; Biggar (capt), T Williams; G Thomas, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, S Davies, Navidi, Faletau.
Replacements: Lake, W Jones, D Lewis, Moriarty, J Morgan, Hardy, Anscombe, Rees-Zammit.
