Major Boost as Wales captain returns
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Captain Alun Wyn Jones returns to Wales’ starting line-up to face England at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.
Jones will pack down alongside Jake Ball in the second-row behind an all-Scarlets front-row of Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias and Samson Lee.
Cardiff Blues pair Shane Lewis-Hughes and James Botham join Taulupe Faletau in the back-row.
Lloyd Williams will partner Dan Biggar at flyhalf with the centre pairing remaining unchanged from the victory over Georgia last weekend with Johnny Williams wearing 12 and Nick Tompkins wearing 13.
Josh Adams, Louis Rees-Zammit and Leigh Halfpenny make up the back-three.
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“Saturday is another great opportunity for us and for this squad,” said head coach Wayne Pivac.
“It is another chance for us to take what we have been doing in training and take that into matchday and we are looking forward it.
“We know what we need to do and we are focused on that for Saturday.”
On the bench Elliot Dee, Rhys Carre and Tomas Francis provide the front-row cover with Will Rowlands and Aaron Wainwright completing the forward contingent. Rhys Webb, Callum Sheedy and Owen Watkin provide the back-line cover.
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Josh Adams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Lloyd Williams; 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 James Botham, 6 Shane Lloyd-Hughes; 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Jake Ball; 3 Samson Lee, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Owen Watkin
Date: Saturday, November 28
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli.
Kick-off: 16:00 (16.00 GMT)
Referee: Romain Poite
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzere, Alex Ruiz
TMO: Brian MacNeice
𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 ⫶ Wales side named to face @EnglandRugby in the #AutumnNationsCup 🍂
© ⫶ Mae’r capten yn dychwelyd i’r XV cychwynnol i wynebu Lloegr yn Llanelli.
🏴 #HWFN pic.twitter.com/6Uwbczwius
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) November 26, 2020