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Wales make 6 changes to face Scotland, give Lewis-Hughes a back row debut
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones will become rugby’s most capped international on Saturday when he makes his 149th Test appearance (140 for Wales, plus nine British and Irish Lions caps) in an XV showing six changes from last weekend’s loss to France in an autumn warm-up.
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Jones levelled the record last weekend but will take the honour for himself at Parc y Scarlets this weekend as Wales face Scotland in their re-arranged Guinness Six Nations finale.
At the other end of the international spectrum, Cardiff Blues back row Shane Lewis-Hughes will make his first Test appearance for Wales in a back row alongside experienced Lions duo Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau. He steps in for Aaron Wainwright.
Will Rowlands, fresh from the English Premiership Final with Wasps, comes into the side to make his first start for Wales and he packs down alongside captain Jones in place of the benched Cory Hill.
European champion and English Premiership winner Tomas Francis comes into the front row alongside Rhys Carre and Ryan Elias in place of Samson Lee.
"We have looked at that and being able to reduce the size of the squad is a lot easier compared to Australia or New Zealand" ?https://t.co/NgqAABnqhP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 29, 2020
In the backline, Gareth Davies partners Dan Biggar following an injury to Rhys Webb, with Owen Watkin coming into the midfield alongside Jonathan Davies in place of Nick Tompkins. Liam Williams returns to the back three, taking over from George North to feature alongside Josh Adams and Leigh Halfpenny.
On the bench, Sam Parry, Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis provide the front row replacements with Hill and James Davies completing the forward contingent. Lloyd Williams comes straight into the matchday squad and provides backline cover along with Rhys Patchell and Tompkins.
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WALES (vs Scotland, Saturday)
1. Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues (9 Caps)
2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets) (14 Caps)
3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (48 Caps)
4. Will Rowlands (Wasps) (1 Cap)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (139 Caps) (CAPT)
6. Shane Lewis-Hughes (Cardiff Blues) (*Uncapped)
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (77 Caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (77 Caps)
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (54 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) (84 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (25 Caps)
12. Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (22 Caps)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (82 Caps)
14. Liam Williams (Scarlets) (63 Caps)
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (90 Caps)
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Sam Parry (Ospreys) (1 Cap)
17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (25 Caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (27 Caps)
19. Cory Hill (Cardiff Blues) (26 Caps)
20. James Davies (Scarlets) (8 Caps)
21. Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) (28 Caps)
22. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (20 Caps)
23. Nick Tompkins (Dragons) (5 Caps)
"No one was hurt, it was just good fun but completely blown way out the water with the (Mike) Tindall link and the little people"
– @DylanHartley jogs his memory back to a time when high jinx with England made notorious headlines https://t.co/zdlqXJtrzZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2020
