Francis to start against Italians

By Mark Stevens
2/12/20

Exeter Chiefs prop Tomas Francis returns to the Wales starting line-up for their final Autumn Nations Cup clash against Italy at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday (4:45pm).

The tight-head was a second half replacement during last weekend’s loss at home to England, but he is one of nine changes coach Wayne Pivac has made ahead of kick-off.

It has been a difficult run of results for last year’s Six Nations Grand Slam winners, who have won just two of their nine Tests since Pivac succeeded Warren Gatland after the 2019 World Cup, beating just Italy and Georgia.

Flank Justin Tipuric, who missed the 24-13 loss to England because of a head knock, returns to the back row alongside James Botham and Taulupe Faletau.

Other switches include a start for George North at outside centre, with the inexperienced duo of Callum Sheedy and Kieran Hardy named as half-backs.

Pivac has selected a new front row of Nicky Smith, Sam Parry – who makes his first Test start – and Tomas Francis, while lock Will Rowlands replaces Jake Ball.

Botham retains his place and moves from openside to blindside flank, accommodating Tipuric’s return, with one other change seeing a fit-again Liam Williams returning at full-back instead of Leigh Halfpenny.

“Saturday is another opportunity for these players, and for us as a squad it is another opportunity to continue to build and to see the results of all the hard work in training,” said Pivac.

“We have blooded eight new caps this campaign, and importantly by the end of the match each of them would have had a number of appearances to their name.

“From the outset we wanted this campaign to be about giving players opportunity and we have done that. The hard work in training is coming through and we want to show that again on Saturday and finish the campaign on a high, with the performance and result we want.”

WALES TEAM TO PLAY ITALY

1. Nicky Smith (Ospreys, 37 Caps)
2. Sam Parry (Ospreys, 3 Caps)
3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs, 51 Caps)
4. Will Rowlands (Wasps, 4 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, capt, 142 Caps)
6. James Botham (Cardiff Blues, 2 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys, 79 Caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (80 Caps)
9. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets, 1 Cap)
10. Callum Sheedy (Bristol Bears, 3 Caps)
11. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester, 3 Caps)
12. Johnny Williams (Scarlets, 2 Caps)
13. George North (Ospreys, 97 Caps)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues, 29 Caps)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, 66 Caps)

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Elliot Dee (Dragons, 32 Caps)
17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, 29 Caps)
18. Leon Brown (Dragons, 11 Caps)
19. Cory Hill (Cardiff Blues, 28 Caps)
20. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons, 26 Caps)
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets, 56 Caps)
22. Ioan Lloyd (Bristol Bears, 1 Cap)
23. Jonah Holmes (Dragons, 4 Caps)