Wales have made five changes to the starting line-up who faced New Zealand last Saturday for the visit of Samoa to the Millennium Stadium in the Invesco Perpetual 09 Series clash on Friday night (Kick-off 7.30pm).
Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar wins his fourth cap when he starts at half back with Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks), who will be playing in his 70th international for his country.
Biggar made his debut against Canada in 2008 when both he and Peel joined the game from the bench and he figured twice on Wales’ recent summer tour to North America, where he partnered the Blues’ Gareth Cooper in the win over Canada and again came on as a replacement alongside Peel against USA.
In the third back division change, Blues wing Tom James replaces Shane Williams.
Up front Huw Bennett (Ospreys) starts at hooker with Matthew Rees (Scarlets) moving to the bench and Blues back row Sam Warburton comes in for regional team-mate Martyn Williams.
Stephen Jones, Cooper and Shane and Martyn Williams miss-out all together with the Scarlets trio of Martin Roberts, Jonathan Davies and Morgan Stoddart providing cover for the backs from the replacements bench.
Front row cover is supplied by Rees and Ospreys prop Craig Mitchell, whilst fellow Osprey Jonathan Thomas and Blues second row Bradley Davies are also included.
“We’ve named a strong side and shown the maximum amount of respect to Samoa,” said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
“They have proved to be a difficult side for Welsh teams in the past and we don’t expect the standard to be any different on Friday night.
“They are a tough physical team with players featuring for some of Europe’s top sides and there is no question of us under-estimating what we are up against.
“Dan Biggar is a bright prospect and his performances at the Ospreys this season mean he fully deserves his opportunity. Dan is surrounded by experience with Dwayne Peel and Jamie Roberts on either side of him which should help further smooth his transition to international rugby.
“Tom James has another chance to show us what he can do and Sam Warburton has been knocking on the door for some time after impressing the coaches on tour to North America this summer.
“But elsewhere we have maintained a consistency in selection and we will be looking to put a performance in on Friday night that will help create the momentum to finish of this series with wins and build on what we achieved for large parts of the game against New Zealand.”
WALES: James Hook; Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Tom James, Dan Biggar, Dwayne Peel; Gethin Jenkins, Huw Bennett, Paul James, Alun-Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Andy Powell, Sam Warburton, Ryan Jones (Capt)
Replacements: Matthew Rees, Craig Mitchell, Bradley Davies, Jonathan Thomas, Martin Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Morgan Stoddart
WALES
15 James HOOK (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs
International record: 34 caps (W 14, L 19, D 1; 209 pts – 6T,34C,35PG,2DG)
14 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 1lb / 83kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 3, L 4; 26 pts – 4T, 2PG)
13 Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 993)
DoB: 24.11.79. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
International record: 64 caps (W 30, L 33, D 1; 100 pts – 20T)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4″ / 1.93m. 16st 10lbs / 107kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 6, L 7; 5 pts – 1T)
11 Tom JAMES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,055)
DoB: 17.04.87. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs
International record: 5 caps (W 2, L 3; 10 pts – 2T)
10 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 3; 35 pts – 7C, 7PG)
9 Dwayne PEEL (SALE SHARKS – Cap No 994)
DoB: 31.08.81. 5’9″ / 1.76m. 13st 8lbs / 86kgs
International record: 69 caps (W 32, L 35, D 2; 25 pts – 5T)
1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2″ / 1.88m. 18st 13lbs / 120kgs
International record: 69 caps (W 29, L 38, D 2; 15 pts – 3T)
2 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017)
DoB: 11.06.83. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 17st 0lbs / 108kgs
International record: 24 caps (W 14, L 10)
3 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,021)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 17st 7lbs / 111kgs
International record: 2 caps (W 1, L 1)
4 Alun-Wyn JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,046)
DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 13, L 19; 20 pts – 4T)
5 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,030)
DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9″ / 2.06m. 19st 9lbs / 125kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 8, L 7)
6 Andy POWELL (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,061)
DoB: 23.08.81. 6’4″ / 1.94m. 17st 6lbs / 111kgs
International record: 9 caps (W 5, L 4)
7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,070)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6’2″. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
International record: 1 cap (W 1)
8 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
International record: 34 caps (W 19, L 14, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Matthew REES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,033)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0″ / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs
International record: 31 caps (W 14, L 16, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
17 Craig MITCHELL (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,068)
DoB: 03.05.86. 6’1″ / 1.85m. 17st 2lbs / 109kgs
International record: 2 caps (W 2)
18 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6’6″ / 1.98m. 18st 1lb / 115kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 3, L 1)
19 Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,013)
DoB: 27.12.82. 6’5″ / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 47 caps (W 23, L 22, D 2; 35 pts – 7T)
20 Martin ROBERTS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,062)
DoB: 06.06.86. 5’9″ / 1.76m. 12st 1lb / 77kgs
International record: 2 caps (W 1, L 1)
21 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,066)
DoB: 05.04.88. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs
International record: 2 caps (W 2; 10 pts – 2T)
22 Morgan STODDART (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,056)
DoB: 23.09.84. 6’1″ / 1.86m. 14st 13lbs / 95kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 1, L 2; 10 pts – 2T)
