Dragons stars Luke Charteris, Toby Faletau, Dan Lydiate and Lloyd Burns will line up as Wales have reverted largely to the side which triumphed over England at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff three weeks ago for their Rugby World Cup opener against the reigning World Champions in Wellington on Sunday (Kick-off 8.30pm.)
The Wales side to face South Africa shows just three personnel changes from that which defeated the 2007 RWC finalists by 19–9 in the pre-tournament warm-up match in Cardiff on Saturday 13th August.
Up front Ospreys pair Huw Bennett and Adam Jones come into the front row to replace Dragons hooker Lloyd Burns and Exeter Chiefs bound prop Craig Mitchell respectively, with Burns moving to the bench.
In the backs Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies continues his established midfield partnership with Jamie Roberts (Blues), a combination that was temporarily split up in that England match to accommodate the now injured Gavin Henson.
Davies and Roberts were reunited a week later when Wales beat Argentina (28-13)at the Millennium Stadium in their final match on home soil before leaving for New Zealand, a match which also featured Blues wing Leigh Halfpenny, Scarlets scrum-half Tavis Knoyle, Blues second row Bradley Davies and, from the bench, Ospreys prop Ryan Bevington.
Halfpenny, Knoyle, Davies and Bevington all join Burns in providing cover from the bench against the Springboks and are joined by Scarlets centre Scott Williams, Sales Sharks back row Andy Powell.
Bayonne-bound scrum-half Mike Phillips reforms his half-back partnership with Scarlet Rhys Priestland. An exciting back three of James Hook (Perpignan), George North (Scarlets) and Shane Williams (Ospreys) completes the backline.
Up front the established back row of captain Sam Warburton (Blues), Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau (Dragons) is retained, another Dragon Luke Charteris partners Osprey Alun Wyn Jones at lock and prop Paul James (Ospreys) completes the starting line-up.
“We are looking to get our World Cup campaign off to a winning start,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland.
“If you get the world champions in your pool you want to play them first up and throw everything you’ve got at them.
“We’ve got the toughest group in the competition, but we know if we can come through we will be in good shape. The players have done everything we have asked of them so far, they have worked incredibly hard.”
WALES: James Hook; George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (C), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Lloyd Burns, Ryan Bevington, Bradley Davies, Andy Powell, Tavis Knoyle, Scott Williams, Leigh Halfpenny
BIOGS
15 James HOOK (PERPIGNAN – Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0” / 1.83m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs
International record: 54 caps (W 23, L 29, D 2; 303 pts – 12T, 39C, 51PG, 4DG)
14 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: 8 caps (W 2, L 5, D 1; 30 pts – 6T)
13 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,066)
DoB: 05.04.88. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 3lb / 103kgs
International record: 14 caps (W 7, L 7; 10 pts – 2T)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 15, L 17; 10 pts – 2T)
11 Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS – Cap No 976
DoB: 26.02.77. 5’7” / 1.71m. 12st 1lb / 77kgs
International record: 81 caps (W 39, L 40, D 2; 270 pts – 54T)
10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080
DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 2, L 2; 10 pts – 2C, 2PG)
9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE – Cap No 1,022
DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs
International record: 54 caps (W 25, L 27, D 2; 30 pts – 6T)
1 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,021
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1” / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs
International record: 26 caps (W 10, L 15, D 1)
2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017
DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0” / 1.83m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs
International record: 42 caps (W 20, L 21, D 1)
3 Adam JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,018
DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0” / 1.83m. 18st 12lb / 120kgs
International record: 70 caps (W 32, L 35, D 3; 10 pts – 2T)
4 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,030
DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9” / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs
International record: 25 caps (W 12, L 13)
5 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,046)
DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5” / 1.96m. 18st 10lbs / 119kgs
International record: 52 caps (W 21, L 31; 30 pts – 6T)
6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,071
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6’4”. 17st 10lbs / 112kgs
International record: 14 caps (W 6, L 7, D 1)
7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES, – Cap No 1,070 – CAPTAIN)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6’2”. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 17 caps (W 8, L 9; 5 pts - 1T)
8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 1, L 2)
REPLACEMENTS:
16 Ryan BEVINGTON (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,081)
DoB: 9.12.88. 6’0”/1.82m. 17st 2lb/109kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 2, L 2)
17 Lloyd BURNS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,085)
DoB: 09.12.84. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 0lbs / 108kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 1, L 2)
18 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6” / 1.98m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs
International record: 24 caps (W 10, L 13, D 1)
19 Andy POWELL (SALE SHARKS – Cap No 1,061)
DoB: 23.08.81. 6’4” / 1.94m. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
International record: 18 caps (W 9, L 9; 5 pts – 1T)
20 Tavis KNOYLE (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,076)
DoB: 02.06.90. 6’1” / 1.85m. 14st 5lbs / 91kgs
International record: 5 caps (W 2, L 3)
21 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 3lbs / 97kgs
International record: International record: 4 caps (W 2, L 2)
22 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 2lbs / 83kgs
International record: 20 caps (W 8, L 12; 62 pts – 7T, 9PG)
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