Jenkins captains Wales as Adams makes positional change

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Just a week after his first test cap for nearly three years, Cardiff flanker Ellis Jenkins will captain Wales against Fiji in the third autumn international on Sunday.

The 28-year-old made an eye-catching return to the top level against South Africa last week, finishing as a man-of-the-match contender despite being on the losing side, and now takes over the leadership from Jon Davies with Alun Wyn Jones and Ken Owens injured.

There are five changes to the starting XV with the majority coming in the backs where Kieran Hardy steps in for Tomos Williams at scrum-half, Johnny Williams returns for Nick Tompkins at inside centre, while Alex Cuthbert is in line for a first test cap in four years and Liam Williams is fit to start at full-back.

With Davies dropping out it means Josh Adams will start at outside centre where he finished the game last week. The other change is in the back row where Thomas Young, who will return to the Arms Park next season, is in for the injured Aaron Wainwright as Taine Basham packs down at number eight.

On the bench Gareth Thomas replaces Wyn Jones as the loosehead option, Christ Tshiunza could be in line for a debut as he’s preferred to Ben Carter as lock cover, Callum Sheedy gets the nod over Gareth Anscombe as the fly-half option, and Tomos Williams and Nick Tompkins both switch from the starting XV.

Wales: Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Josh Adams, Johnny Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Ellis Jenkins (c), Thomas Young, Taine Basham

Replacements: Bradley Roberts, Gareth Thomas, WillGriff John, Christ Tshiunza, Seb Davies, Tomos Williams, Callum Sheedy, Nick Tompkins

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