Wales Head coach Warren Gatland has named his Wales senior men’s XV to play Portugal at the Rugby World Cup 2023, with Ospreys hooker, Dewi Lake captaining the side.
Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Adam Beard will be representing the Ospreys, with Nicky and Dewi making their first appearances of the tournament.
Wales arrived in Nice from Bordeaux on Monday afternoon and have been preparing for this fixture from their match city training base.
Tomos Williams starts at scrum-half to win his 50th cap for Wales. Gareth Anscombe makes his first appearance of the 2023 world cup campaign at fly-half.
Dewi Lake, one of four players in the starting line up making their Rugby World Cup debut this weekend, captains the side at hooker. He is joined in the front row by Nicky Smith at loosehead prop and Dillon Lewis at tighthead prop.
Johnny Williams and Mason Grady make their RWC debuts in the Wales midfield.
In the back three, Leigh Halfpenny is named at fullback to win his 101st cap and feature in his tenth RWC match across three tournaments. Rio Dyer makes his first start of the 2023 edition, joining Louis Rees-Zammit on the wing.
Club teammates Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins pair up in the second row with Tshiunza making his first start at lock for Wales.
The back row is made up of Dan Lydiate at blindside flanker who, like Halfpenny, is making his tenth RWC appearance in his third tournament, Tommy Reffell making his first start of this year’s tournament at openside flanker and Taulupe Faletau at No. 8.
Wales’ replacements include Gareth Davies, Sam Costelow and Josh Adams as the back line cover.
Ryan Elias, Corey Domachowski and Tomas Francis are the front row cover, Adam Beard is the second row cover and Taine Basham, in-line for his world cup debut, is the final forward replacement.
Gatland said: "We’ve made a few changes this week given the six day turnaround.
“This is an opportunity now for this match day 23. I’ve said before, but there’s some great competition within the squad which is what we want to see. There’s a chance now for this group to go out Saturday and to put down their own marker in the tournament.
“We’ve done a thorough debrief of last week’s game and know the areas we need to improve. We have a clear plan of how we want to play on Saturday and it’s about going out there and executing that as we have prepared.
“Portugal are a skillful side and will be raring to go this weekend in their first match of the tournament. We’re excited to get back out there and looking forward to seeing more great support from the travelling fans out in Nice.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mae Prif Hyfforddwr Cymru, Warren Gatland wedi enwi ei garfan i wynebu Portiwgal yn Stade de Nice yn eu hail gêm Grŵp C yng Nghwpan y Byd 2023. (Sadwrn 16 Medi 4.45pm BST / 5.45pm amser lleol ar S4C ac ITV).
Cyrhaeddodd y garfan ddinas Nice o Bordeaux brynhawn Llun er mwyn ymarfer ar gyfer ail gêm eu hymgyrch yng Nghwpan y Byd.
Bydd y mewnwr Tomos Williams yn ennill ei 50fed cap a Gareth Anscome sydd wedi ei ddewis yn safle’r maswr.
Bydd y capten Dewi Lake, yn un o bedwar o chwaraewyr fydd yn ymddangos yng Nghwpan y Byd am y tro cyntaf erioed. Nicky Smith a Dillon Lewis fydd ar ei ysgwydd yn y rheng flaen ddydd Sadwrn.
Bydd y ddau ganolwr Johnny Williams a Mason Grady ym gwneud eu hymddangosiadau cyntaf yng Nghwpan y Byd.
Mae Leigh Halfpenny wedi ei ddewis yn gefnwr a bydd yn ennill cap rhif 101. Yr asgellwyr fydd Rio Dyer a Louis Rees-Zammit. Dyma fydd y tro cyntaf erioed i Dyer gynrychioli ei wlad yng Nghwpan y Byd.
Dau o chwaraewyr o glwb Caerwysg fydd yn yr ail reng - Christ Tshiunza and Dafydd Jenkins a dyma fydd y tro cyntaf i Tshiunza ddechrau gêm dros ei wlad fel clo.
Mae Dan Lydiate, fel Halfpenny, wedi ei ddewis am ei ddegfed gornest yng Nghwpan y Byd. Tommy Reffell fydd y blaen-asgellwr agored a Taulupe Faletau fydd yn safle’r wythwr.
O safbwynt yr eilyddion, Gareth Davies, Sam Costellow sydd wrth gefn o ran yr olwyr.
Ryan Elias, Corey Domachowski a Tomas Francis yw’r opsiynau ar gyfer y rheng flaen gydag Adam Beard wrth gefn fel clo. Taine Basham, sydd erioed wedi chwarae yng Nghwpan y Byd o’r blaen yw’r eilydd arall o flaenwr.
Dywedodd Gatland: "Gan mai dim ond chwe niwrnod sydd rhwng y ddwy gêm, ry’n ni wedi gwneud cryn dipyn o newidiadau.
“Bydd yr ornest hon yn gyfle gwych i’r 23 chwaraewr yma ddangos beth y gallan nhw ei wneud. Maen na gystadleuaeth arbennig o fewn y garfan – sef yr union beth sydd ei angen arnom. Mae gennym gyfle da ddydd Sadwrn i osod ein marc ar y gystadleuaeth.
“Ry’n ni wedi edrych yn ôl yn fanwl ar gêm ddydd Sul diwethaf ac mae agweddau o’n chwarae y maen rhaid i ni wella arnyn nhw. Mae gennym gynllun clir ar gyfer herio Portiwgal ac rwy’n disgwyl i ni weithredu yr hyn yr ydym wedi ei ymarfer, ar y cae ddydd Sadwrn.
“Mae Portiwgal yn dîm dawnus ac fe fyddan nhw’n awchu i berfformio’n dda yn eu gêm gyntaf o’r gystadleuaeth eleni. Fe wnawn ni’n gorau glas hefyd ac ry’n ni’n edrych ymlaen y fawr at weld cefnogaeth gref yn Nice dros y penwythnos.”
Wales senior men’s XV to play Portugal at Stade de Nice. Pool C, Rugby World Cup 2023. Saturday 16 September, KO 4.45pm BST. Live on ITV and S4C.
Tîm Cymru i wynebu Portiwgal i yn y Stade de Nice yng Nghrŵp C o Gwpan Rygbi’r Byd 2023. Ddydd Sadwrn 16 Medi 4.45pm BST. Yn fyw ar S4C ac ITV.
15. Leigh Halfpenny (unattached / heb glwb – 100 caps)
14. Louis Rees Zammit (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw – 28 caps)
13. Mason Grady Cardiff Rugby/ Caerdydd – 4 caps)*
12. Johnny Williams (Scarlets – 6 caps)*
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 10 caps)
10. Gareth Anscombe (Suntory Sungoliath – 35 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby/ Caerdydd – 49 caps)
1. Nicky Smith (Ospreys / Gweilch – 44 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys / Gweilch – 9 caps)*
3. Dillon Lewis (Harlequins – 52 caps)
4. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 7 caps)*
5. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 8 caps)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons / Dreigiau – 71 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 11 caps)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 101 caps)
Replacements / Eilyddion
16. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 35 caps)
17. Corey Domachowski ( Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 3 caps)
18. Tomas Francis (Provence Rugby – 73 caps)
19. Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 48 caps)
20. Taine Basham (Dragons / Dreigiau – 13 caps)*
21. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 70 caps)
22. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 5 caps)
23. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 51 caps)
*player making RWC debut
ENDS / DIWEDD
Want to be the first to hear our news? Sign up to our newsletter
