Rio Dyer: Dragons wing to make Wales debut against New Zealand

Rio Dyer has scored nine tries in 35 appearances for Dragons

Wing Rio Dyer will make his Wales debut in Saturday's Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zealand in Cardiff.

The 22-year-old Dragons player starts as Leigh Halfpenny returns at full-back after more than a year out injured.

Halfpenny is one of three British and Irish Lions who are back in the Wales team after long-term injury absences.

The others are hooker Ken Owens and new captain Justin Tipuric, who starts in the back row alongside Tommy Reffell and Taulupe Faletau.

Fly-half Gareth Anscombe gets the nod at 10 in the absence of injured skipper Dan Biggar, while Tomos Williams is preferred to Kieran Hardy at scrum-half.

Dyer gets his chance on the wing following a wrist injury to Cardiff's Josh Adams.

As Will Rowlands and Adam Beard continue their partnership in the second row, the world's most capped player Alun Wyn Jones is among the replacements.

Exeter's Christ Tshiunza will provide back-row cover on the bench, while Hardy, Rhys Priestland and Owen Watkin do so for the backs.

• All three Barrett brothers start for New Zealand

• Scandal, drama and hurt - Wales' history against the All Blacks

"It's great having Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric and Leigh Halfpenny back," said Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.

"They bring a lot of experience and they are big-game players. Playing New Zealand doesn't get much bigger so we're really looking forward to having them back in the side.

"New Zealand is going to play with speed, we know that.

"The roof is closed so we're looking forward to a fast, open game and I think Justin brings that extra bit of speed to the number six jersey. So the combination [of Tipuric, Reffell and Faletau] we think will work well.

"Rio has fitted in really well and really quickly. He's thriving in this environment. He's a young man that's bringing some form with him into camp. He scored some great tries and he's full of confidence.

"That means a lot to a young guy playing his first Test match in front of a big crowd. There's no better way to start your career so we wish him well."

Pivac hopes Adams and Cuthbert will be fit to play a role during the autumn internationals.

"In terms of Josh, it's probably another week or two. He'll definitely be right in this campaign," added Pivac.

"We expect him to get some rugby. Same with Alex. If there was a World Cup final, he'd be available. It's really the amount of training the guys have done, with Alex coming back from a long lay-off since South Africa.

"We're just getting some more volume in him. We'd like to think Josh will be ready next week. We'll take that one as it comes."

North, Anscombe, Halfpenny and Faletau all had to come through training this week with Pivac insisting they were fit and says he was confident they will start the game.

"We wouldn't have selected them if they weren't right," added Pivac.

"They have trained last week, trained very well this week.

"We had a big, physical session on Tuesday and they came through fine. We're pleased with where everyone is at."

Wales: Halfpenny; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Anscombe, T Williams; Thomas, Owens, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Tipuric, Reffell, Faletau.

Replacements: Elias, Smith, Lewis, Alun Wyn Jones, Tshiunza, Hardy, Priestland, Watkin.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)

Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)

• GAME CHANGERS: Go behind the scenes with Wales women's rugby team

• RUCK STARS: Two of the biggest teams in rugby go head to head