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Gatland mixes experience with youth for Wales in Six Nations

January 31, 2023 GMT

FILE - Wales coach Warren Gatland, walks on the field prior to the Rugby World Cup bronze final game at Tokyo Stadium between New Zealand and Wales in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. The 2023 Six Nations starts on Feb. 4. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales coach Warren Gatland blended experience with some rising stars for the Six Nations rugby match against Ireland on Saturday as he selected his first team since returning for a second spell as coach of the national team.

Joe Hawkins, a 20-year-old center, will make his second appearance for Wales and 23-year-old winger Rio Dyer will play for the fourth time in the game against the world’s top-ranked team in Cardiff.

Gatland also recalled fullback Leigh Halfpenny, who has 97 caps and will make his first test start for 19 months, and gave starts to 37-year-old lock Alun Wyn Jones — for his 156th test appearance — and flyhalf Dan Biggar.

Places in the back row were up for grabs, with Justin Tipuric and Jac Morgan preferred as the flankers and Tommy Reffell having to settle for a place among the reserves.

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Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Josh Adams, George North, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer, Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams; Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Jac Morgan, Alun Wyn Jones. Adam Beard, Tomas Francis, Ken Owens (captain), Gareth Thomas. Reserves: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell, Rhys Webb, Owen Williams, Alex Cuthbert.

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