Wales legend Alun Wyn Jones will earn a record-extending 150th cap for his country when he returns from a four-month injury absence against Italy in their last game of the Six Nations on Saturday.
Fly-half Dan Biggar will retain the captaincy ahead of the returning talisman at the Principality Stadium, however, as he brings up a century of caps for Wales. Head coach Wayne Pivac has named his team two days earlier than usual and made seven changes to the XV that lost 13-9 to France on Friday.
Jones, 36, hasn't played a minute for club nor country since injuring his shoulder against New Zealand on October 30. The veteran lock dislocated the same shoulder on the eve of last year's British and Irish Lions tour but completed a miraculous comeback to captain the team in all three Tests against South Africa.
And despite not playing for Ospreys since October 16, he'll now extend his all-time Test cap record of 161 (149 for Wales, 12 for the Lions) when he takes on Italy. Dragons lock Will Rowlands has earned praise as one of Wales' best players of the tournament thus far, but he drops to the bench while Adam Beard partners Jones in the XV.
Pivac praised the veteran duo of Jones and Biggar as they reach new milestones for the national team: “Dan and Al are huge players for Wales and have been for many years now. We’ve said with other players reaching 100 appearances what an achievement that is and for Dan I know he’s been looking forward to this moment for a long time.
"For him to achieve it with Al, who is also getting the milestone of 150 caps – which no other player has ever done – I think it’s fitting for those two to share the day. They’ve played a lot of rugby together and have a healthy respect for each other. They’ve given so much for the game in Wales.”
Lions tourists Taulupe Faletau and Josh Navidi keep their place in a new-look back row that sees Seb Davies keep his spot at blindside, while Dewi Lake and Dillon Lewis earn rare starts in the front row. There are widespread chanegs among the back, meanwhile, where Biggar, Owen Watkin and Josh Adams are the only surviving players from the French defeat.
Cardiff centre Uilisi Halaholo comes into midfield at Jonathan Davies' expense, while Louis Rees-Zammit is back among the XV and reclaims his favoured slot on the right wing at Alex Cuthbert's expense. Pivac's men currently sit fifth in the table, but a bonus-point win at home to Italy could lift them as high as third provided England and Scotland take nothing from their meetings with France and Ireland, respectively.
Wales have scored an average of 43 points in their three clashes against Italy since Pivac took charge in 2019, and they haven't failed to clinch a bonus-point Six Nations win at home to the Azzurri since 2014. The 2021 champions have looked valiant for periods during recent defeats to England and France, though Pivac will be desperate to give the fans a more festive send-off at home come Saturday.
Wales team to face Italy
(Backs) Johnny McNicholl; Louis Rees-Zammit, Owen Watkin, Uilisi Halaholo, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; (Forwards) Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Dillon Lewis;, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones (capt); Seb Davies, Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau
Reps: Bradley Roberts, Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Will Rowlands, Ross Moriarty, Kieran Hardy, Callum Sheedy, Nick Tompkins
