After the humiliating defeat of the XV of Wales against Georgia (13-12), coach Wayne Pivac called Thursday to the rescue the experienced Alun Wyn Jones (37 years old, 154 caps), back in second line for the test match against Australia on Saturday in Cardiff. Holder of the world record for selections for a rugby player, Jones, former captain of the XV at Leek, had not been a holder since the last Six Nations Tournament.
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Another returning veteran, full-back Leigh Halfpenny returns to the starting team after sixteen months out with a hamstring injury, soon to be 34. Halfpenny was already due to start against the All Blacks on November 5 but had to forfeit just before the match after a relapse of his injury. Among the six changes made by Pivac, note the return of another executive, the third row wing Taulupe Faletau.
Joe Hawkins, 20, will make his international debut, center, replacing Owen Watkin, who suffered a knee injury against Georgia. Wales remain on three wins against the Wallabies but are going through a bad patch this year with eight defeats in eleven test matches.
The composition of Wales:
Halfpenny – Cuthbert, North, Hawkins, Dyer – (o) Anscombe, (m) Williams – Tipuric (cap), Faletau, Morgan – A.-W. Jones, Beard – Lewis, Owens, G. Thomas
Replacements: Elias, R. Jones, Francis, Carter, Macleod, Hardy, Priestland, Adams