WALES COACH WARREN Gatland made some surprise selections as he revealed the starting XV to take on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium this Sunday.
Prop Rob Evans and wing Tom James are two faces that were not expected to feature but have been rewarded for their good form for the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues respectively.
Gareth Anscombe starts at fullback while George North will wear the number 14 jersey.
Jonathan Davis and Jamie Roberts form the centre pairing while Dan Biggar and Gareth Davies will make up the half-back partnership.
Evans will be joined in the front row by Scott Baldwin and his Scarlets team-mate Samson Lee.
Luke Charteris and Alun Wyn Jones form the second row while Gatland has again sprung a surprise at the back of the pack by naming Justin Tipuric at seven and Taulupe Faletau as number eight with Sam Warburton captaining the side from the blindside flanker position.
There is no place in the matchday 23 for Liam Williams.
Wales XV to face Ireland
15. Gareth Anscombe
14. George North
13. Jonathan Davies
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Tom James
10.Dan Biggar
9. Gareth Davies
1. Rob Evans
2. Scott Baldwin
3. Samson Lee
4. Luke Charteris
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Sam Warburton (capt)
7.Justin Tipuric
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements:
16. Ken Owens
17. Gethin Jenkins
18. Tomas Francis
19. Bradley Davies
20. Dan Lydiate
21. Lloyd Williams
22. Rhys Priestland
23. Alex Cuthbert
I wish him the best of luck. St. Kilda is playing the Melbourne Demons, my team. He will have his hands full with the Dees forward line.
Great achievement. There has been a reduction in the Irish activity in the AFL this season. Basically only Touhy and McKenna. Would love if O’Connor could get more game time with Geelong and O’Riordan getting a start with Sydney.
A footballer from Kilkenny!!!! Wonder of wonders!!!
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: the dubs best footballer has Kilkenny blood in him
Well done to Joyce and that’s one less Kilkenny assassin that Galway have to worry about in the future
@Finnster: and Joyce a good Galway name!!!!!!
Great to see someone make it in professional sports. Well done
Fair play to him & the best of luck!!!
Some loss to the Kilkenny footballers though ……cough!!!
Paddy McCartin at half forward, sounds like a buck from Leitrim or Cavan.
@Enda Reynolds: whereas Maverick Weller is definitely one of them Wellers from Moate