Rhys Webb makes his first Wales start in three years as they travel to Rome for a crucial game against Italy.
Webb being handed a start in the Six Nations for the first time in six years comes as Warren Gatland makes as many changes to his team, in an effort to avoid a first Welsh whitewash in 20 years.
On Webb’s return Gatland said: “He’s been great in the squad, he brings that experience and a voice to that nine position.”
The boss has also omitted Louis Rees-Zammit, Leigh Halfpenny, Alun Wyn Jones, Christ Tshiunza and Gareth Thomas.
In their place Rio Dyer, Liam Williams, Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard and Wyn Jones all come in, with only Rees-Zammit and Thomas of the dropped players not left out of the squad entirely.
On his opposition and other changes, Gatland added: “We feel that having watched Italy and how they will tend to play from everywhere, including their own 22, getting guys on the ball is going to be pretty important.
“We did discuss whether we put Louis Rees-Zammit to full-back and how that would have looked, but he still hasn’t played a lot of rugby in terms of coming back from a relatively long injury with his ankle.
“And we just felt with the way the game’s going to be and the pace of the game, that him coming off the bench and the impact he can have could be pretty important.
“We have been disappointed with the results so far, and for me it is hard to take as it is the first time I have lost three games in the Six Nations with Wales.
“The message to the players has been that we have to be smart in terms of the way we play, but we’ve also got to be brave and make sure that when the opportunities are on we shift the ball.”
Wales lost to Italy last year, as a dramatic break from Ange Capuozzo teed up Edoardo Padovani to deliver their first win in 37 Six Nations matches.
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Capuozzo won’t be available on Saturday however, and Harlequins’ Tommaso Allan takes his place in the sole change Italian starting line-up.
The Italian starting XV will surely see this as their best chance to end their decade-long winless streak in the tournament on home soil in several years, and finally relinquish the Wooden Spoon which they have held since 2016.
“We recovered well from the last game and this week we worked on the areas where we needed to improve,” said Italian head coach Kieran Crowley.
“We know the match ahead against Wales and are looking forward to it and hopefully we can continue to develop the way we want to play.”
Italy: Allan, Padovani, Brex, Menoncello, Bruno, Garbisi, Varney; Fischetti, Nicotera, Ferrari, Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (c), Cannone
Substitutions: Bigi, Zani, Riccione, Iachizzi, Pettinelli, Zuliani, Fusco, Morisi
Wales: Williams, Adams, Grady, Hawkins, Dyer, Williams, Webb; Jones, Owens (c), Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.
Substitutions: Baldwin, Thomas, Lewis, Davies, Reffell, Williams, North, Rees-Zammit
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