Wing Murray to make Wales debut against Fiji

Blair Murray is one of eight Scarlets named in Wales' autumn squad

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v Fiji

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Sunday, 10 November Kick off: 13:40 GMT

Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Sounds, follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

Scarlets wing Blair Murray will make his Wales debut after being named in Warren Gatland's side to face Fiji in Cardiff on Sunday for the opening match of the Autumn Nations Series.

Murray, 23, was born and brought up in New Zealand but qualifies for Wales through his mother, who is originally from Tonyrefail.

Centre Max Llewellyn will gain his third cap and make his second start, while his Gloucester team-mates Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe return as Wales' half-backs.

Anscombe has been given the fly-half role which allows centre Ben Thomas to partner Llewellyn in the Welsh midfield.

Locks Will Rowlands and Adam Beard return but flanker Jac Morgan is only named on a replacements bench that includes six forwards.

Meteoric rise

Murray came through the Crusaders academy in New Zealand and played for Canterbury in the domestic competition before arriving in Wales.

He linked up with Scarlets this summer and has played just six games for his new side but impressed Gatland, as he was named as only one of two uncapped players in the 35-man squad alongside Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas.

“He’s been playing well for the Scarlets but hasn’t had a lot of games," said Gatland.

"Coming through the New Zealand system in terms of their pathway, we were excited when he decided to commit to Wales.

"What he does give us that we haven't had in a while is a left-footed option, so it allows us to mix it up a bit.

"We have been pleased with the way he's been playing, his footwork and he's been scoring some nice tries."

Murray 's parents are set to fly in from New Zealand for the game.

"Someone said today he’s had 29 requests for tickets so he's got family and friends coming to support him," said Gatland.

"It's always great to see that, particularly someone on his first cap."

Murray, who has has been preferred to Rio Dyer and Tom Rogers, lines up in a back three alongside full-back Cameron Winnett and Mason Grady, who switches to the wing from the inside centre role he occupied in the summer.

It is the first time Dyer has not started a Test match since the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina in October 2023.

Anscombe, 33, will play his first Test for more than a year after missing last season because of a groin injury.

Thomas featured at fly-half in the two losing Tests in Australia but switches to his more familiar inside centre role as Wales try out yet another centre combination.

It will be Thomas' first international start in the Wales number 12 jersey.

Forward alterations

Bath prop Archie Griffin has been named despite being diagnosed with a minor heart problem called pericarditis.

It causes an issue where the sac around the heart becomes inflamed but it is not a permanent condition.

Griffin, 23, had come on as a replacement in Bath's opening Premiership game against Northampton on 20 September, and felt unwell afterwards.

He was absent for a few weeks but battled back to fitness and was a replacement for Bath in their Premiership Cup victory against Ampthill last weekend.

The return of Rowlands and Beard means Exeter lock Christ Tshiunza drops to the replacements bench, while Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright has proved his fitness after suffering a hamstring injury against Australia in Sydney in July.

Wainwright will line up in a back row with flankers Taine Plumtree and Tommy Reffell with Morgan named as a replacement.

It is a bench that sees the return of experienced front-row duo Nicky Smith and Ryan Elias among six forwards, with just two backs included in half-backs Ellis Bevan and Sam Costelow.

Experience tells

The return of Williams, Anscombe, Beard, Rowlands and Wainwright provides 234 caps and gives some much-needed experience to the side that played against Australia.

In all, Gatland has made seven personnel changes from the side that lost to the Wallabies in the second Test in Melbourne in July, with three more positional alterations.

Wales have lost their past nine internationals in a run that stretches back 13 months and have slipped to 11th in the world rankings, one place below Fiji.

Another defeat will equal Wales' record of 10 successive international defeats, set by Steve Hansen's side of 2002 and 2003.

Fiji have made six personnel changes from the team that lost 57-17 to Scotland last weekend, with star backs Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu, Josua Tuisova and Semi Radradra returning to the starting side.

Wales open their autumn campaign against Fiji before facing Australia seven days later and finish with the visit of world champions South Africa on 23 November.

Meanwhile, former international match official Nigel Owens - whose Test career spanned 17 years and 210 matches in total, including 100 as a referee - will join the Wales coaching staff on matchdays for the Autumn Nations Series in an advisory role.

Line-ups

Wales: Winnett; Grady, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Beard, Plumtree, Reffell, Wainwright.

Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Tshiunza, Botham, J Morgan, Bevan, Costelow.

Fiji: Karawalevu; Wainiqolo, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Muntz, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tawake, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Derenalagi, Salawa, Canakaivata.

Replacements: Matavesi, Hetet, Koroiduadua, Vocevoce, Tuisue, Kuruvoli, Ravula, Maqala.