Wales start electrifying Rees-Zammit against Japan
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wales Head coach Steve Tandy has named his team to play Japan on Saturday in their second Nations Series match at Principality Stadium.
Dewi Lake starts at hooker and will captain the side, having previously done so for the two-Test series against Japan in July.
Joining Lake in the Wales front row are Nicky Smith, who is named at loosehead prop, and Archie Griffin, who is tighthead prop. The same trio that started the second Test in Kobe.
Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard continue their partnership in the second row.
In the back row, Aaron Wainwright starts at blindside flanker with Alex Mann at openside flanker and Olly Cracknell, who became the 1,216th Wales men’s international last weekend, is selected at No.8.
There is one change to the Wales backline. Louis Rees-Zammit starts on the wing, having made his first Wales appearance since the 2023 World Cup last Sunday.
Among the replacements, Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas and Taine Plumtree are the forward cover for this match.
Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans and Nick Tompkins are the backline cover.
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Alex Mann, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Taine Plumtree, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Nick Tompkins
Date: Saturday, November 15
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 17.40 (17.40 GMT; 02.40 JST, Sunday, November 16)
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia), Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
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