Wales debut for Mee as Anscombe & Llewellyn return

Ellis Mee (left) Max Llewellyn (centre) and Gareth Anscombe are the three Wales backs brought in to start by interim head coach Matt Sherratt against Ireland

Men's Six Nations: Wales v Ireland

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 22 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC One and S4C. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app.

Scarlets wing Ellis Mee will make his Wales debut against Ireland while fly-half Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn return for Saturday's Six Nations match in Cardiff.

Interim head coach Matt Sherratt, who will be in charge for his first game following Warren Gatland's departure earlier this month, has made eight personnel changes from the side that lost against Italy along with two positional alterations.

Mee, 21, who signed for Scarlets this season from Nottingham and qualifies for Wales through his mother from Newport, replaces the injured Josh Adams.

Mee is selected after playing just 10 professional competitive games for Scarlets.

Anscombe, 33, will make his first Six Nations start since inspiring Wales to a Grand Slam victory against Ireland in Cardiff six years ago.

He is selected less than a week after being one of two fly-halves called into the squad by Sherratt alongside Harlequins' Jarrod Evans, who is named on the replacements bench.

Anscombe and Evans had previously been left out by Gatland. The former head coach had named only one specialist fly-half in his initial squad in Ospreys number 10 Dan Edwards, who is not involved against Ireland.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas started the defeats against France and Italy in the unfamiliar fly-half role.

Anscombe's Gloucester team-mate Llewellyn also come straight back into the starting side and will partner Thomas in midfield.

There is a new-look starting front-row trio of Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee and WillGriff John, who will make his Six Nations debut and play his first international for three-and-a-half years.

Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins returns from illness, while Tommy Reffell joins fellow flanker and captain Jac Morgan alongside number eight Taulupe Faletau in the back row. Morgan switches to blind-side with Reffell wearing seven.

Adams, Eddie James, Nick Tompkins, Gareth Thomas, Evan Lloyd, Henry Thomas, Freddie Thomas and James Botham drop out of the starting side.

Sherratt outlined why he had changed more than half the side.

"There are numerous reasons," said Sherratt.

"There were a couple of little injury doubts and then probably just in general, my mindset coming in was just to make sure I enjoy it and try to do things my way, with the way I think the game should be played.

"Some of the selections are geared towards that. It was important to pick a team that had some familiarity.

"I don't feel playing Ireland is a time to experiment, so just having those combinations together, who have got relationships and can talk to each other on the field and pick up each other's habits, is important."

Sherratt stated the return of Gloucester duo Anscombe and Llewellyn would compensate for the loss of experienced injured pair Liam Williams and Owen Watkin.

"I felt we needed some players who have relationships with each other and play with each other every week," said Sherratt.

"I've coached Gareth and Max so they know my style of play. That was an advantage.

"Gareth is very good at driving the week. With Tomos (Williams) and Gareth, I've got relationships with them and knew they'd grab what I was trying to do and spread it through the team. It's just that familiarity."

On the other end of the scale Sherratt was not afraid to blood Mee.

"He's looked brilliant this week," said Sherratt.

"I'm sure his family are proud of him and to see his face after selection was part of the reason you coach."

Gatland's second reign as head coach ended on the back of the dire display in Rome which was an eighth successive Six Nations defeat to equal Wales' worst record in the tournament.

It was Wales' 14th successive Test loss and within 72 hours Gatland had gone - with Cardiff boss Sherratt appointed on an interim basis for the remaining Six Nations fixtures against Ireland, Scotland and England.

Wales have dropped to a lowest position of 12th in the world rankings and have not won a Test match since October 2023.

They have lost seven successive internationals at the Principality Stadium since defeating England in a World Cup warm-up game in August 2023.

In contrast, Ireland are ranked second in the world and bidding to create history by winning a third consecutive Six Nations title.

They remain on course for a Grand Slam having defeated England and Scotland in the opening rounds of this tournament and can clinch their 14th Triple Crown in Cardiff by beating Wales this weekend.

With Andy Farrell away with the British and Irish Lions, Ireland also have an interim head coach in Simon Easterby, who has been linked with the Wales top job.

Team to face Ireland

Wales: Murray; Rogers, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Mee; Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Smith, Dee, John, Rowlands, D Jenkins, Morgan (capt), Reffell, Faletau.

Replacements: E Lloyd, G Thomas, H Thomas, Teddy Williams, Wainwright, R Williams, J Evans, J Roberts.