After making a name for themselves in the World Cup this year, Toby Faletau and Danny Lydiate return to the Welsh squad for the Dove Men Challenge match against Australia at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm).
Faletau and Lydiate are two of nine players retained in the starting line-up from the third-place Rugby World Cup play-off defeat to the Wallabies early last month, with just two starters selected from outside of the Wales 30-man squad which reached the semi-finals in New Zealand.
Ospreys second row Ian Evans returns to the starting line-up after a three year absence, having last featured under Gatland against New Zealand in November 2008, and Blues prop Scott Andrews – who was part of the preliminary RWC training squad – makes his first start.
Evans replaces Dragons lock Luke Charteris, originally named in the Wales squad for this match but now ruled out with a wrist injury. Andrews is in for Adam Jones who was ruled out with a calf problem last week.
Captain Sam Warburton (Blues) returns in the back row, replacing Osprey Ryan Jones, who moves to the bench, with Dragon Toby Faletau reverting to his normal position at No 8.
In the backs a groin problem has also ruled out Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies and he is replaced by his Regional colleague Scott Williams. Blues scrum half Lloyd Williams replaces the unavailable Mike Phillips but elsewhere the Wales coaches have been able to name the same back line which finished the World Cup so strongly.
On the bench Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees completes his return from the shoulder problem which ruled him out of the RWC squad at the last minute, Ospreys outside half Dan Biggar returns alongside his regional colleague, flanker Justin Tipuric, and uncapped Blues wing Alex Cuthbert is also named.
“It does not often happen in professional sport that a player gets the opportunity to call time on his international career then play one last match like this one in front of his home fans and the people he has given so much joy and entertainment to,” said Gatland.
“Saturday is a great opportunity for the fans to show Shane what he has meant to them and we all hope to send him off on the right note.
“But as we remember the highs and lows of New Zealand and the World Cup the focus must now be to build for the next four years, the immediate future of the 6 Nations next year and towards the 2015 World Cup, with players like Scott Andrews, Ian Evans and Lloyd Williams with an immediate opportunity to impress and also the likes of Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar and Alex Cuthbert with a chance from the bench.”
WALES: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Rhys Priestland, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins, Huw Bennett, Scott Andrews, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (C), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Matthew Rees, Ryan Bevington, Ryan Jones, Justin Tipuric, Tavis Knoyle, Dan Biggar, Alex Cuthbert
WALES
15 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 2lbs / 83kgs
International record: 26 caps (W 12, L 14; 72 pts – 9T, 9PG)
14 George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 6, L 8, D 1; 45 pts – 9T)
13 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 3lbs / 97kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 20 pts – 4T)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 38 caps (W 18, L 20; 20 pts – 4T)
11 Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS – Cap No 976)
DoB: 26.02.77. 5’7” / 1.71m. 12st 1lb / 77kgs
International record: 86 caps (W 41, L 43, D 2; 285 pts – 57T)
10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080)
DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 9 caps (W 6, L 3; 42 pts – 12C, 6PG)
9 Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,087)
DoB: 30.11.89. 6’0” / 1.83m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 3, L 1; 10 pts – 2T)
1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2” / 1.88m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
International record: 82 caps (W 37, L 43, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)
2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017)
DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0” / 1.83m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs
International record: 48 caps (W 23, L 24, D 1)
3 Scott ANDREWS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,083)
DoB: 01.08.89. 6’2” / 1.88m. 18st 7lbs / 117kgs
International record: 1 cap (L 1)
4 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6” / 1.98m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs
International record: 31 caps (W 14, L 16, D 1)
5 Ian EVANS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,045)
DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8” / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
International record: 16 caps (W 6, L 9, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,071)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6’4”. 17st 10lbs / 112kgs
International record: 19 caps (W 8, L 10, D 1)
7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,070)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6’2”. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 23 caps (W 12, L 11; 10 pts - 2T)
8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 5, L 5; 10 pts – 2T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Matthew REES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,033)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs
International record: 47 caps (W 20, L 26, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
17 Ryan BEVINGTON (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,081)
DoB: 9.12.88. 6’0”/1.82m. 17st 2lb/109kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3)
18 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 57 caps (W 28, L 27, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)
19 Justin TIPURIC (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,086)
DoB: 06.08.89. 1.88m / 6’2” 15st 10lbs / 100kgs
International record: 1 cap (W 1)
20 Tavis KNOYLE (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,076)
DoB: 02.06.90. 6’1” / 1.85m. 14st 5lbs / 91kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3)
21 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6’2” / 1.88m. 14st 1lbs / 89kgs
International record: 8 caps (W 4, L 3, D 1; 52 pts – 8C, 12PG)
22 Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES – Uncapped)
DoB: 05.04.90. 6’6” / 1.98m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: Uncapped
