Gareth Anscombe has retained the Wales fly-half role ahead of Dan Biggar for Saturday’s clash against Australia.
Anscombe impressed during Wales’s 21-10 victory over Scotland last weekend, when Northampton No 10 Biggar was unavailable as England-based players were ruled out because that game fell outside World Rugby’s autumn Test window.
Biggar and his fellow British and Irish Lions back – Saracens wing Liam Williams – are on the bench, with the Welsh Rugby Union announcing three changes as head coach Warren Gatland hands starts to Worcester wing Josh Adams, Exeter prop Tomas Francis and Ospreys lock Adam Beard.
Adams replaces Luke Morgan, who made his Test debut against Scotland, while Francis takes over from Dillon Lewis and Beard is preferred to Cory Hill as captain Alun Wyn Jones’s second-row partner.
Lewis and Hill are among the replacements, with a powerful Wales bench also including fit-again Cardiff Blues flanker Ellis Jenkins, who captained Wales to a win against South Africa in Washington DC earlier this year.
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Adams, a Test newcomer during last season’s Six Nations Championship, has maintained impressive form for Worcester, with highly-rated Beard also gaining a golden opportunity as Wales target a first win against Australia since 2008.
“With selection, we wanted some continuity and to be consistent, but also mindful there are a number of players who did really well for us in the summer, and they need to be rewarded and have their opportunity,” said Gatland. “Adam impressed in the summer, as did Josh, and they deserve the chance to start.
“There is a really good balance to the team, a lot of competition, which is exactly what we wanted. The bench is packed with quality and experience, and it will be great to see them have an impact on Saturday. We were pleased to get a good opening win under our belts last weekend, and this Saturday is all about building on that.”
Quick guide
Wales team v Australia
L Halfpenny (Scarlets); G North (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), H Parkes (Scarlets), J Adams (Worcester); G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), G Davies (Scarlets); N Smith (Ospreys), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), A Beard (Ospreys), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), D Lydiate (Ospreys), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Dragons).
Replacements: E Dee (Dragons), R Evans (Scarlets), D Lewis (Cardiff Blues), C Hill (Dragons), E Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), T Williams (Cardiff Blues), D Biggar (Northampton), L Williams (Saracens).