Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland have been passed fit for Wales' Six Nations opener in Ireland on Sunday but an ankle injury rules out Dan Lydiate.
British and Irish Lions centre Roberts and fly-half Priestland have both recovered from knee injuries while Ryan Jones will replace flanker Lydiate.
Rhys Gill replaces injured prop Gethin Jenkins at loose-head while Huw Bennett is in for crocked hooker Matthew Rees.
Alex Cuthbert makes his first start in place of retired wing Shane Williams.
Roberts has been out since hobbling off in Cardiff Blues' Welsh derby against Newport Gwent Dragons on 23 December but coach Warren Gatland feels he has sufficiently recovered.
WALES' INJURY LIST
- Hooker Matthew Rees (calf)
- Prop Gethin Jenkins (knee)
- Lock Alun Wyn Jones (toe)
- Lock Luke Charteris (wrist)
- Flanker Dan Lydiate (ankle)
Gatland, who delayed naming his side for two days until Friday to give the injured players a chance to prove their fitness, is also confident Priestland is ready to return despite playing a limited role in training.
Even with the presence of Roberts and Priestland, the Wales team will be substantially different to the one that beat Ireland in October's
World Cup quarter-final in New Zealand.
Lydiate, Lions prop Jenkins (knee) and locks Alun Wyn Jones (toe) and Luke Charteris (wrist) are missing through injury while Williams has retired.
Bradley Davies and Ian Evans, however, were second-row partners in Wales' December friendly defeat by Australia and continue due to the absence of World Cup locks Charteris and Jones.
Prop Gill, whose only other Wales cap was as a replacement in Ireland in 2010, is rewarded for his impressive form for Saracens in the Heineken Cup and is chosen ahead of the more experienced Paul James to replace Jenkins.
Leigh Halfpenny impressed at full-back during the World Cup and continues in that role at the Aviva Stadium as 21-year-old Blues wing Cuthbert, who is 6ft 6ins, and 6ft 4ins George North form a giant wing partnership.
Scarlets captain Rees, who missed the World Cup to undergo neck surgery, will miss the visit to Dublin because of a calf strain so Bennett, an able deputy in New Zealand, will win his 50th cap.
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Young Wales and Blues wing Alex Cuthbert reveals his other passion
"We have been able to retain continuity in some key areas," said Gatland.
"We have been working hard and we feel we are approaching this match with the right attitude and with some good preparation work done.
"We are two sides who know each other well; Ireland will not have enjoyed losing to us in New Zealand, they will want to redress the balance in Dublin this weekend, but they will find us in just as determined mood."
Ireland have enjoyed a far less troubled build-up
and have been able to name the same forward pack that started against in October's 22-10 defeat by Wales.
But talisman Brian O'Driscoll is absent with a shoulder injury and Keith Earls ruled out on Friday for personal reasons, so Fergus McFadden has been promoted from the bench to outside centre
TEAM DETAILS
Wales:
L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert; J Davies, J Roberts; G North; R Priestland, M Phillips; R Gill, H Bennett, A Jones, B Davies, I Evans, R Jones, S Warburton (c), T Faletau.
Replacements:
K Owens, P James, A Powell, J Tipuric, L Williams, J Hook, S Williams.
Ireland:
R Kearney; T Bowe, F McFadden, G D'Arcy, A Trimble; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; S Ferris, S O'Brien, J Heaslip.
Replacements:
S Cronin, T Court, D Ryan, P O'Mahony, R O'Gara, E Reddan, D Kearney.
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Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16773386
Norwich chief executive David McNally insists his club are on a firm footing despite Grant Holt’s request to leave Carrow Road.
The 31-year-old talisman’s transfer request was rejected by the Canaries on Friday following a superb first season in the Premier League, following speculation linking Norwich manager Paul Lambert with vacant positions elsewhere. However, chief executive McNally took to Twitter on Saturday in a bid to calm supporters about the club’s future. “We did receive a transfer request from Grant Holt yesterday [Friday]. It was rejected immediately,” McNally said. “At our club, we deal with the out-of-contract players first of all when each season ends. “We then deal with players where the club may have an option to extend their contracts. This season, there are several in this category.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal eased into the final of the Italian Open with a straight-sets 7-6 (8-6) 6-0 victory against David Ferrer in Rome.
Nadal was made to work hard in the opening set by a battling Ferrer.
But once he took it in the tie-break, he did not allow his compatriot a route back into the match and wrapped up the second set without dropping a game.
Nadal will meet either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic, who meet in Saturday’s other semi-final.
More to follow.
England’s Richard Finch shocked German world number nine Martin Kaymer to advance to the last 16 of the World Match Play at Finca Cortesin, Spain.
Finch, ranked 218 in the world, recorded a one-hole win over the number one seed to become the seventh UK player to reach the second round.
Ian Poulter, Tom Lewis, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Robert Rock and Justin Rose are all through.
But Open champion Darren Clarke has gone out.
Clarke, who has failed to survive a halfway cut this season, lost twice on Friday, by two holes to Rock and 64 to Rose.
In the morning session, Lewis’s one-hole win over John Senden secured his and defending champion Poulter’s… Continue reading Finch shocks Kaymer at Match Play
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