Wayne Pivac has named his team to face Italy in Wales' final Six Nations match this weekend.
Pivac has made seven changes from the side that lost to France last Friday as he looks to end the tournament on a high.
Here's everything the Wales coach had to say...
Read next: Win free tickets for Wales v Italy
Is it just Tomos Williams who is injured for this match?
“Ryan Elias is pretty much on vapours. By that, I mean he’s been working hard to say on top of a niggly injury which he has done really well. He’s one we ruled out. If it was a World Cup final, he could have played. But it’s not and we’re looking after him.”
Can you tell us about what an achievement it is for your captain Dan Biggar to win his 100th Welsh cap this weekend?
“He’s a champion, isn’t he? Dan is somebody who demands high quality training from himself and his team-mates. He works very, very hard at his game. He leads by example. He’s everything you want in a leader and a good number 10 in terms of managing and running the game.
"In terms of the captaincy, he’s done very well. He’s grown in terms of the tournament. If you look back from week one to now, he’s handled himself well on the field. The feedback has been great. He’s doing well in the training sessions. Real credit to Dan. To play 100 games, it shows resilience.
"The fact that he’s been able to come back from injury and non-selection at times and he’s acquitted himself so well over his career. I’m really, really pleased that he gets to do it in front of a home crowd."
And Alun Wyn Jones will win his 150th Welsh cap this weekend. Was there any doubt about bringing him straight back into the starting XV?
“There are a number of guys in the squad we believe can do that (come straight back in). It’s the preparation they do coming into camp and then when they’re in camp.
"He’s been with us a few weeks and we’ve monitored him. He’s trained very well, ticked all the boxes. I think the injection of a few fresh players will be good. To be playing 150 Test matches, something no-one else on the planet has ever done, just shows he’s a special person. We think he’s one who can come back, as he’s done in the past."
How tough a call was it to leave Will Rowlands out of the starting side?
“He’s going to finish the game and he’ll play a role sometime after half-time, maybe before then. It’s one of them where we looked at Will and Adam (Beard).
"Both have played virtually every minute of the campaign so far and had big work loads coming into the tournament. Adam runs our attacking lineout and Will’s been running the defensive lineout.
"Alun Wyn will take over that and we’ll see what we do with Will in the second half.”
Was there any temptation to try Ben Carter, given his lack of minutes in the tournament?
“We’re watching everybody in training and getting feedback, whether they’re playing or working, on their work-ons. Ben is working hard at his game.
"For this particular match, 150 matches in front of a home crowd is something special and to play with Dan on his 100th and the fact that Al has been a player who’s been able to come straight back in in the past, along with those who we’ve brought back in this competition. It’s one which we’re comfortable with.”
So it's not a sentimental selection?
“No, you’ve got to earn your right. You’ve got to train hard and make sure you tick all the boxes and he’s done that.”
Is the plan for him to reach the 2023 World Cup, then?
“I hope so because we’ve contracted him that far. There was never any question in my mind that he would, unless there was injury.
"He clearly has to maintain form and be selectable. Certainly him and I have the understanding that’s his target, that’s what he’s going towards and we’ve certainly discussed that.”
And what about the captaincy long term, given how Dan has performed in the role?
“Dan’s done a great job in the tournament and Beardy’s doing a great job as vice-captain as well. It’s growing your leadership group and, in terms of Adam Beard, he’ll be up for that in the future and potentially has the capability to lead his country.
"We want to continue that development and finish this campaign as we started it.”
Will it be a case of the captaincy being done on a campaign-by-campaign basis from now on?
“Definitely. Form, usual things, availability – guys have to be earning the right to start. We talked about that when we talked around Dan’s selection for this competition.”
Talk us through the changes you've made in the backline. Is the hope there to improve the attacking game?
“We want to attack. We want to create scoring opportunities which we did against France, four or five times, which we’ve been through in the review process. We weren’t clinical enough. We want to continue that theme of creating chances but we want to make sure we make good decisions and finish teams off when we get into that position.
"Certainly they are attacking players and they deserve an opportunity. Johnny McNicholl played well at full-back in the autumn.
"Willis Halaholo has had the unfortunate Covid incident and hamstring injury in this tournament so things haven’t gone his way, but he’s been very patient and worked hard behind the scenes and we think he deserves an opportunity, so we want to learn more about Willis in a starting jersey.
"And I think Gareth is fresh coming in and will hopefully enjoy the opportunity that’s presented for him.”
What about the starts for Dewi Lake and Dillon Lewis in the front-row?
"Tomas Francis has played well at tighthead, but it’s an opportunity for us to learn more about the other two. Dewi gets a chance to start, and we will see how he goes in a starting jersey for the first time."
How big of an incentive is it to finish third this weekend?
“We would love to. It would be a great way to finish. We’ve got to get a job done on Saturday, and then we will sit and wait and see how the other results go.
"Mathematically, there is an opportunity to do that, and we will certainly be trying to do our bit by getting the win at home."
What was your message for Will Rowlands, given how well he's stepped into the role during this tournament?
"I certainly told him he hasn’t been dropped. He has got a different role this week. We talk around three roles - either starting the match, finishing the match and adding impact, or role number three, which no-one really wants, you are there to prepare the side as best you can to go and get a result.
"He has played well and had a lot of rugby this season. On this occasion, he will finish, as opposed to start, and he understands that."
Was there a temptation to start Nick Tompkins alongside Willis Halaholo, given they played together against Australia last year, or do you see Nick solely as a 12 now?
“I think Nick’s had the ability to do both. He has gone well at 12.
"We want to give Willis an opportunity, so Nick will come into the game at some stage and we will see how it pans out with Owen and Willis where Nick ends up. We see Nick as being a form 12 prior to the head knock.
"He hasn't trained a lot. Today was his first day."
Was the decision to start Alun Wyn Jones at all to do with selling tickets, given the lack of unsold tickets for the France game?
"Certainly, nothing from the marketing department from the WRU. I’d like to think it puts extra bums on seats and I would like to think we get a sell-out crowd to recognise Dan's achievement and Alun Wyn’s achievement, which nobody else on the planet has done.
"To have two guys achieve those milestones on the same day is something special. It's a rugby decision, that's what we have decided, and we are very comfortable with the decision."
Get the latest rugby news and analysis sent straight to you with our Welsh rugby newsletter.
