Posted by There are nine changes to the Wales side that took the field against England last week as Wayne Pivac mixes things up again for the final game of the Autumn Nations Cup against Italy on Saturday.
After scrum struggles at Parc y Scarlets against the English, there’s a new-look front row as Ospreys hooker Sam Parry makes his first international start alongside clubmate Nicky Smith on the loosehead and Tomas Francis packing down at tighthead.
Possibly after the birth of his child last week, Jake Ball misses out on the second row with Will Rowlands starting alongside Alun Wyn Jones, while Justin Tipuric is fit again to claim the number seven jersey as James Botham swaps flanks and Shane Lewis-Hughes drops out.
After starting against Georgia two weeks ago, Kieran Hardy and Callum Sheedy return to form the half-back pairing, while George North is preferred to Nick Tompkins at outside centre. Liam Williams is also fit again to start and comes in for Leigh Halfpenny at full-back.
On the bench there are recalls for Leon Brown, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies and Jonah Holmes, while Ioan Lloyd could win a second cap after a man-of-the-match performance for Bristol Bears last weekend.
Wales: Liam Williams, Josh Adams, George North, Johnny Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Callum Sheedy, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones (c), James Botham, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Cory Hill, Aaron Wainwright, Gareth Davies, Ioan Lloyd, Jonah Holmes
Cardiff Rugby Life 