Wales’s Sam Warburton will have to make do with a place on the bench after interim head coach Rob Howley confirmed his replacements for this weekend’s Six Nations international away to Italy.
Howley took the unusual step of naming his starting side for the clash at Rome’s Olympic Stadium more than a week in advance when he announced he would field the same XV that took the field for the 16-6 victory over France in Paris – a win that ended a run of eight straight Test defeats for Wales.
Warburton, Wales’s captain at the 2011 World Cup and their skipper during last season’s Six Nations Grand Slam campaign, missed the Stade de France fixture because of a shoulder injury.
Justin Tipuric filled Warburton’s openside flanker role, with the captaincy reverting to former skipper and fellow flanker Ryan Jones.
Warburton has been joined on the bench by fit-again lock Alun-Wyn Jones, who hasn’t played for Wales since suffering a shoulder injury during November’s defeat by Argentina.
“We announced last week that we would reward the starting XV that beat France by keeping faith with the same line-up for this weekend’s game,” Howley said on Tuesday.
“The side is fit and raring to go and on the bench we have brought in Sam and Alun-Wyn who have both returned from injury which is a boost to the squad.”
Victory for Wales in Rome would keep them in contention for the Six Nations title ahead of next month’s remaining fixtures against Scotland and England.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Mike Phillips; Toby Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Ryan Jones (capt); Ian Evans, Andrew Coombs; Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard, Gethin Jenkins. Res: Ken Owens, Paul James, Craig Mitchell, Alun-Wyn Jones, Sam Warburton, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams