Wales team vs Ireland in Six Nations opener as Josh Adams switches position

02/03/2022

Wayne Pivac has announced the Wales team to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Saturday's Six Nations showdown, where Dan Biggar will lead the guests out as captain.

The Northampton Saints playmaker is deputising in the absence of the injured Alun Wyn Jones, while Ospreys lock Adam Beard is taking on the role of vice-captain.

Winger Josh Adams has moved to outside centre in one of the most eye-catching changes, having previously only experimented there in small doses for Wales and Cardiff.

While heavy hitters like Jones and Taulupe Faletau are out of commission, Wales are glad to have Ross Moriarty among their ranks as a back-row replacement.

He'll earn his 50th cap when he comes off the bench in Dublin, while Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake is primed for a senior international debut if he plays.

“We’ve selected Josh Adams at 13. It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while," Pivac said after confirming his squad on Thursday. "He’s done it in training and in small doses at the end of a game. We think this is a golden opportunity to answer that question.

“Really pleased for Ross [Moriarty]. He’s wrapped to be back in the match day 23 and I think it’s just really around game time at the moment. We think coming off the bench he’ll make an impact, so that’s why we’ve gone that way.

“Really happy for Dewi [Lake]. He’s a big man, a very good rugby player. Strong over the ball and gives us something in defence as well as his attacking prowess."

Who do you think will win the 2022 Six Nations? Let us know in the comments section.

Taine Basham debuted for Wales last summer and was one of the team's most impressive performers during the autumn series.

He'll make his Six Nations debut at blindside in a back row that also comprises Ellis Jenkins and Aaron Wainwright at No. 8.

Scarlets star Johnny McNicholl has taken Adams' place on the wing, leaving Cardiff-bound club team-mate Liam Williams to slot in at full-back.

Gloucester's Louis Rees-Zammit lines up on the other flank having been a key contributor en route to the 2021 title win, where a final defeat to France saw Wales just miss out on the Grand Slam.

The underdogs did manage to claim a Triple Crown on the way to their second title in three editions of the Six Nations, though hopes of a repeat in 2022 could end at the first hurdle.

“History in Dublin, it’s a hard place to go," Pivac continued. "There have been some great games in recent years against Ireland.

“They’re a very, very tough, very physical side. So we know we’re going to have to step up in that area of the game and make sure we do that for 80 mins. We’ve got to be very disciplined and as a result be in there fighting for the right result.”

Wales travel to Ireland having won this fixture in Cardiff last year, though they haven't won a Six Nations fixture in Dublin since February 5, 2012—exactly a decade prior to Saturday's clash.

Andy Farrell's men are high on confidence after an autumn series that included wins over New Zealand and Argentina, while Wales suffered defeats to the All Blacks and South Africa before edging Australia.

(Backs) Liam Williams, Johnny McNicholl, Josh Adams, Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit; Dan Biggar (c), Tomos Williams; (Forwards) Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis; Will Rowlands, Adam Beard; Ellis Jenkins, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright

Reps: Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Owen Watkin

Source: Read Full Article