Warren Gatland rings Wales Six Nations changes again for Italy; Alun Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit dropped

Wales’ Warren Gatland makes six changes to side for Saturday’s Six Nations Test vs Italy (2.15pm); Liam Williams, Rio Dyer, Rhys Webb, Wyn Jones, Dafydd Jenkins, Jac Morgan come in for Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit, Tomos Williams, Gareth Thomas, Alun Wyn Jones, Christ Tshiunza

Warren Gatland has rung the changes for Wales in the Six Nations again, making six alterations to the side vs Italy as Alun Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny and Louis Rees-Zammit are among those dropped. 

The other changes see scrum-half Rhys Webb start over Tomos Williams – his first Test start for three years and first Six Nations start for six years – with loosehead Wyn Jones and flanker Jac Morgan also recalled.

Owen Williams starts again at fly-half over Dan Biggar – the latter missing out on the squad having lost his place in the starting side for the 20-10 Round 3 defeat to England in Cardiff – while Liam Williams and Rio Dyer are restored at full-back and left wing respectively in place of Halfpenny and Rees-Zammit.

Exeter’s 20-year-old lock Dafydd Jenkins starts over 37-year-old Jones in the second row, while back-row Christ Tshiunza and prop Gareth Thomas make way for prop Jones and Morgan.

Alun Wyn Jones is again dropped from the squad – the second time he has been this championship

With both sides still seeking their first victory of the championship, Saturday’s clash in Rome is effectively a Wooden Spoon decider, and comes a year after Italy secured victory over Wales in Cardiff.

Having made five changes after a 34-10 Round 1 defeat to Ireland, and then nine changes to the side which suffered a 35-7 Round 2 defeat to Scotland in Murrayfield for the visit of England to Cardiff, Gatland has again tinkered with the side in search of a change in fortunes.

Louis Rees-Zammit scored a try in defeat for Wales vs England last time out, but has been dropped to the bench

“We feel that having watched Italy and how they’ll tend to play from everywhere, including their own 22, getting guys on the ball is going to be pretty important,” Gatland said on Thursday.

“Rhys Webb gets an opportunity at nine having been training well. He’s been great in the squad, he brings that experience and a voice to that nine position.

“Liam Williams comes in at full-back. 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’ve been disappointed with the results so far and for me, it’s hard to take as it’s the first time I’ve lost three games in the Six Nations with Wales. We’ve had a lot of things going on off the field as well but there are no excuses.

Dan Biggar misses out on the squad, with Owen Williams retained at fly-half

“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. We have to keep scanning and looking at options and if there’s a chance to move the ball then be brave and do that.”

Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens (c), 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Jac Morgan, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Rhys Davies, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 George North, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit.

Allan starts at full-back for Italy in absence of Capuozzo

Harlequins fly-half Tommy Allan will start at full-back for Italy in Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Wales.

Allan, who filled the fly-half role against France and England, replaces Ange Capuozzo.

Capuozzo memorably created Italy’s winning try in Cardiff last season, but he is sidelined by a shoulder injury that has meant Italy head coach Kieran Crowley makes one enforced change.

It is otherwise the same team that pushed Six Nations leaders and title favourites Ireland close last time out.

Italy are chasing a first Six Nations win in Rome since 2013, but they will fancy their chances against a Wales side reeling from successive losses to Ireland, Scotland and England.

Italy: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Edoardo Padovani, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Pierre Bruno, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney; 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 3 Simone Ferrari, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 5 Federico Ruzza, 6 Sebastian Negri, 7 Michele Lamaro, 8 Lorenzo Cannone.

Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Giovanni Pettinelli, 21 Manuel Zuliani, 22 Alessandro Fusco, 23 Luca Morisi.