Coach Steve Tandy has opted to start Sam Costelow ahead of Dan Edwards to guide the Welsh attack alongside scrumhalf Tomos Williams on Saturday. The backline also features a fresh centre pairing of Max Llewellyn and Eddie James, flanked by experienced wingers Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit alongside Blair Murray at fullback. Up front, hooker Dewi Lake captains the team within a pack that includes number eight Aaron Wainwright and second-row partners Dafydd Jenkins and Ben Carter. The match against Japan is critical as it precedes challenging Nations Championship encounters with New Zealand and Australia.
Key points
Coach Steve Tandy has refreshed the midfield setup by deploying Max Llewellyn and Eddie J…: Coach Steve Tandy has refreshed the midfield setup by deploying Max Llewellyn and Eddie James at centre.
Wales enters the Cardiff match having secured two wins from their previous four test matc…: Wales enters the Cardiff match having secured two wins from their previous four test matches.
The fixture against Japan prepares Wales for subsequent Nations Championship games agains…: The fixture against Japan prepares Wales for subsequent Nations Championship games against New Zealand and Australia.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Nov 5 : Sam Costelow will start at flyhalf ahead of Dan Edwards as Wales coach Steve Tandy also named a new midfield for the Nations Championship fixture against Japan in Cardiff on Saturday.
• Costelow will partner Tomos Williams at halfback, with Max Llewellyn and Eddie James forming a powerful centre pairing
• Experienced Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit are the two wings, with Blair Murray selected at fullback
• Dewi Lake will captain the side from hooker, with props Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin alongside him in the front row, and Dafydd Jenkins and Ben Carter the lock pairing
• Aaron Wainwright packs down at number eight with Alex Mann and Jac Morgan the two loose-forwards
• Wales, who have won two of their last four tests, also face New Zealand on November 14 and Australia a week later ahead of the Nations Championship finals weekend
The veteran forward's upcoming departure concludes an era defining international run that saw him rewrite the global record books. His final appearances will take place during the November international break before he steps away from representing his home country. The exit closes out decades of leadership at the highest tier of international soccer.
The legendary forward is officially stepping away from his duties representing the Portugal national team. While this development concludes his career at
The veteran forward's departure marks the end of an era for his country following the November international break. Having represented his homeland for hundreds of matches, he steps aside while holding unmatched all-time world records in international football. His exit will officially leave the team's iconic number seven shirt vacant for the next generation.