Wales senior men’s head coach Wayne Pivac has named Four Dragons in his team to face Scotland at a sold out Principality Stadium in their first home game of the 2022 Guinness Six Nations on Saturday 12 February (KO 2.15pm live on BBC and S4C).
Will Rowlands & Taine Basham retain their places in the starting xv with the latter moving to the six jersey.
Ross Moriarty replaces Dragons team mate Aaron Wainwright at number eight, who drops to the bench.
Jac Morgan will win his first senior international cap for Wales having been selected at open-side flanker. He joins Basham, who follows up his try-scoring Six Nations debut with a move to blind side, and Moriarty, who returns to the starting line up at number 8 having won his 50th cap as a replacement in Dublin, in the back row.
Owen Watkin, whose last start for Wales was against Scotland in last year’s Championship, is named at outside centre. Nick Tompkins partners Watkin in the Wales midfield. Josh Adams is ruled out due to a tight calf.
Alex Cuthbert is selected on the wing and will make his first Six Nations appearance since 2017. Louis Rees-Zammit (wing) and Liam Williams (fullback) complete Wales’ back three.
Captain and outside half Dan Biggar will lead out Wales for the first time in front of a home crowd on what will be his 100th international appearance (96 Wales and 3 Lions), Jonathan Davies would also join the 100 Test caps club (93 Wales and 6 Lions) when taking to the field as a replacement this weekend.
Tomos Williams continues at scrum half. The front five also remains unchanged.
Seb Davies, who was a late withdrawal from the match day 23 to face Ireland due to a back spasm, returns to the bench. Aaron Wainwright is another change to the replacements from last weekend.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said: “With Ross Moriarty now having had more training and game time under his belt we think he’s the right guy to start.
“Jac Morgan comes in for his debut. He’s someone that’s really impressed us in training. He’s worked very, very hard, he gives us a lot of physicality and he’s very good over the ball.
“We expect Scotland to come down full of confidence. They’ve started with a good win. Across the board they are very competitive and committed side that throws everything at every play. We know that’s going to be tough work for us and a big challenge that we’re looking forward to and are up for.
“Really excited about to getting out in front of a full house at Principality Stadium for our first home match of the 2022 Guinness Six Nations. There is nothing better.”
On Biggar and Davies in line to each make their 100th Test appearance, Pivac added: “To get a hundred Test matches in total for any player from any country, it’s just a magnificent achievement. It shows the hard work and dedication they have put in and the sacrifice they have made over a number of years to get to this stage.
“I’m very, very happy for both of those players to achieve it and to do it on the same day. They’ve played a lot of Test matches together in the past – it’s just going to be fantastic to see them both out there at some stage.”
Wales senior men’s team to face Scotland (Saturday 12 February, KO 2.15pm. Live on BBC and S4C)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets – 75 caps)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 48 caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 27 caps)
12. Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 17 caps)
11. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 13 caps)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints – 96 caps), captain
9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 30 caps)
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets – 39 caps)
2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 24 caps)
3. Tomas Francis (Ospreys – 61 caps)
4. Will Rowlands (Dragons – 14 caps)
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 30 caps), vice-captain
6. Taine Basham (Dragons – 8 caps)
7. Jac Morgan (Ospreys – uncapped)
8. Ross Moriarty (Dragons – 50 caps)
Replacements
16. Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 1 cap)
17. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 6 caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 35 caps)
19. Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby – 13 caps)
20. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 35 caps)
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 66 caps)
22. Callum Sheedy (Bristol Bears – 14 caps)
23. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets – 93 caps)
