Wales make two changes for Six Nations finale against Italy
Tuesday 17 March 2015 13:06, UK
Rob Evans and Aaron Jarvis will start in Italy on Saturday as Six Nations outsiders Wales make two changes to their starting line-up.
Evans comes in for his first start alongside Jarvis as injured props Gethin Jenkins (hamstring) and Samson Lee (Achilles) miss out.
Warren Gatland sticks with the rest of the starting side that ended Ireland's Grand Slam hopes at the weekend, a result that maintained Wales' slim hopes of pipping the Irish and England to the title.
On the bench, Ken Owens is among the substitutes instead of Gloucester hooker Richard Hibbard, who had been following return-to-play protocols after taking a blow to his head during the Ireland game.
Saracens forward Rhys Gill, meanwhile, gains a match-day place after only joining the squad for training on Monday, while scrum-half Gareth Davies - a livewire operator and consistent try-scorer for the Scarlets - gets his chance instead of the hugely-experienced Mike Phillips.
Head coach Gatland said: "It was great to get the result we wanted in front of our home supporters last weekend and to give us a chance going into the last round of action.
"Obviously it's disappointing for Gethin and Samson, but Rob and Aaron stepped up well last weekend and we expect the same on Saturday.
"The challenge to us is to go to Italy and win, and try and win by a significant margin, but we know that's an extremely tough ask and the first job will be to simply get the result.
"Italy build their confidence around the scrum and line-out drive and that's an area we are going to have to compete strongly in at the start of the match."
Wales have won five of their previous seven Six Nations visits to Rome, highlighted by a 38-8 victory in 2005.
And they are going to need something similar - if not better - if they are to realistically have a chance of securing their third Six Nations title in four years.
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 4 Luke Charteris, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Scott Williams.
