Wing Josh Adams will make his first Test match appearance in the centre when Wales launch their Six Nations Championship title defence against Ireland on Saturday.
Adams, who has won 35 caps and was top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup, would have featured there in the Autumn Nations Series appointment with Fiji this season, but he suffered an injury during the warm-up and did not start.
Saracens’ Nick Tompkins will partner Adams in midfield, while there are also starts for wing Johnny McNicholl and flanker Taine Basham, with uncapped Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake among the replacements.
Flanker Ross Moriarty, who has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered against New Zealand in October, is also on the bench and poised to win his 50th cap.
But there is no place in the matchday 23 for centre Jonathan Davies, who has made 99 Test match appearances for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
Fly-half Dan Biggar skippers the team as Wales start the tournament without world record Test match appearance holder Alun Wyn Jones.
Jones is among a number of British and Irish Lions currently out injured, being joined by fellow key personnel such as George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi.
Wales have claimed a solitary victory from their last seven visits to the Aviva Stadium, and they will encounter an Ireland side fresh from toppling New Zealand just over two months ago.
Wales team to play Ireland
15. Liam Williams 14. Johnny McNicholl 13. Josh Adams 12. Nick Tompkins 11. Louis Rees-Zammit 10. Dan Biggar 9. Tomos Williams 1. Wyn Jones 2. Ryan Elias 3. Tomas 4. Will Rowlands 5. Adam Beard 6. Ellis Jenkins 7. Taine Basham 8. Aaron Wainwright
Replacements
16. Dewi Lake 17. Gareth Thomas 18. Dillon Lewis 19. Seb Davies 20. Ross Moriarty 21. Gareth Davies 22. Callum Sheedy 23. Owen Watkin
