Louis Rees-Zammit has been named among the many Wales replacements for his worldwide return towards Argentina.
Rees-Zammit has not performed for Wales since October 2023 – their World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina – after spending 18 months in American Soccer’s NFL on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 24-year-old winger returned to rugby at Bristol in August however has been coping with a toe harm sustained final month forward of Wales’ Autumn Nations Sequence opener.
New head coach Steve Tandy has stored the identical back-three – Blair Murray, Tom Rogers and Josh Adams – from Wales’ summer season win over Japan in Kobe, which ended their file run of 18 successive Check defeats.
Tandy mentioned: “It is an actual privilege to announce my first match day 23 for Wales.
“I just want to see that 23 really go out there and express themselves on Sunday and enjoy every moment of representing the country in such a unique and special jersey.”
Tandy makes seven adjustments from the Japan win, with skipper Jac Morgan becoming a member of Alex Mann and Aaron Wainwright within the again row after being absent in the summertime due to British and Irish Lions responsibility in Australia.
Saracens prop Rhys Carre makes his first Wales look for practically three years after he was initially considered ineligible underneath the Welsh Rugby Union’s choice coverage.
Carre has 20 caps, 5 wanting the required quantity for these enjoying for golf equipment exterior the nation, however the WRU mentioned final month that the Skilled Rugby Board had confirmed the 27-year-old’s eligibility.
The previous Cardiff ahead, who’s joined by Dewi Lake and Keiron Assiratti within the entrance row, made his final Wales look within the 2023 Six Nations earlier than falling out of favour underneath Warren Gatland.
Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard unite within the second row having each missed the summer season tour to Japan.
Dan Edwards and Tomos Williams, who was on the Lions tour to Australia, are paired at half-back, with Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn forming a well-recognized midfield partnership.
Leicester’s Olly Cracknell makes the bench as back-row cowl and is line to win his first cap on the age of 31.
Tandy mentioned: “Olly’s impressed us since he came into camp, but I’ve known Olly a long time.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to teach him on the Ospreys. He is an unbelievable skilled and also you see Olly’s needed to have resilience all through his profession.
“He’s shown that, whether it be London Irish, then he goes to Leicester, plays minutes every week and he’s battle-hardened and he’s performing at a big club.
“So I am simply excited to see that switch to the worldwide enviornment.”
Wales squad to face Argentina
Beginning XV: B Murray, T Rogers (each Scarlets), M Llewellyn (Gloucester), B Thomas, J Adams (each Cardiff), D Edwards (Ospreys), T Williams (Gloucester); R Carre (Saracens), D Lake (Ospreys), Ok Assiratti (Cardiff), D Jenkins (Exeter), A Beard (Montpellier), A Mann (Cardiff), J Morgan (Ospreys), A Wainwright (Dragons).
Replacements: L Belcher (Cardiff), N Smith (Leicester), A Griffin (Tub), F Thomas (Gloucester), O Cracknell (Leicester), Ok Hardy (Ospreys), J Evans (Harlequins), L Rees-Zammit (Bristol).
