Hooker Perry earns first start at hooker for Wales v Italy

Alun Wyn Jones of Wales (centre) controls the maul during the Rugby Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland in Cardiff, Britain, 31 October 2020. Photo: EPA/Geoff Caddick

Alun Wyn Jones of Wales (centre) controls the maul during the Rugby Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland in Cardiff, Britain, 31 October 2020. Photo: EPA/Geoff Caddick

Published Dec 2, 2020

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LLANELLI - Hooker Sam Perry will make his first start for Wales as they look to end a difficult Autumn Nations Cup on a high with victory over Italy in the battle for fifth place in Llanelli on Saturday.

Perry has made three previous appearances off the bench, but will now start for the first time in between props Nicky Smith and Tomas Francis.

Will Rowlands will partner the most capped international of all time, Alun Wyn Jones at lock, with James Botham maintaining his place in the starting line-up alongside Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in the back-row.

George North returns to outside centre for the first time since Wales beat Italy 42-0 in last year’s Six Nations, while Kieran Hardy and flyhalf Callum Sheedy are the halfback pairing. Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Adams and Liam Williams make up the back-three.

"Saturday is another opportunity for these players and for us as a squad. It is another opportunity to continue to build and to see the results of all the hard work in training," Wales coach Wayne Pivac said in a media release from Welsh Rugby.

"We have blooded eight new caps this campaign and importantly by the end of the match each of them would have had a number of appearances to their name. From the outset we wanted this campaign to be about giving players opportunity and we have done that.

"The hard work in training is coming through and we want to show that again on Saturday and finish the campaign on a high, with the performance and result we want."

Wales' solitary win in the campaign, as well as their last eight tests in all, came with an 18-0 success over Georgia 10 days ago.

The Wales team is:

1. Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (37 Caps)

2. Sam Parry (Ospreys) (3 Caps)

3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (51 Caps)

4. Will Rowlands (Wasps) (4 Caps)

5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (142 Caps) (Captain)

6. James Botham (Cardiff Blues) (2 Caps)

7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (79 Caps)

8. Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (80 Caps)

9. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets) (1 Cap)

10. Callum Sheedy (Bristol Bears) (3 Caps)

11. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester) (3 Caps)

12. Johnny Williams (Scarlets) (2 Caps)

13. George North (Ospreys) (97 Caps)

14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (29 Caps)

15. Liam Williams (Scarlets) (66 Caps)

Replacements

16. Elliot Dee (Dragons) (32 Caps)

17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (29 Caps)

18. Leon Brown (Dragons) (11 Caps)

19. Cory Hill (Cardiff Blues) (28 Caps)

20. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (26 Caps)

21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (56 Caps)

22. Ioan Lloyd (Bristol Bears) (1 Cap)

23. Jonah Holmes (Dragons) (4 Caps)

Reuters

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