Adams to switch to centre as Wales begin Six Nations title defence | Rugby Union News

Wing Josh Adams will make his first Test match appearance at centre when Wales play Ireland on Saturday; Saracens’ Nick Tompkins will partner Adams in midfield, while there are also starts for wing Johnny McNicholl and flanker Taine Basham

Josh Adams will play at centre for Wales against Ireland

Wing Josh Adams will make his first Test match appearance at centre when Wales launch their Guinness Six Nations Championship title defence against Ireland on Saturday.

Adams, who has won 35 caps and was top tryscorer 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 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: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Josh Adams, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Louis Rees-Zammit, 10 Dan Biggar (captain), 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Taine Basham, 6 Ellis Jenkins, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Wyn Jones

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