Senior men’s head coach Warren Gatland has named the Wales team to face Fiji in the opening match of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series at Principality Stadium on Sunday 10 November (KO 13.40h GMT, live on TNT Sports and S4C).
Ospreys player Dewi Lake will captain the side, with Gareth Thomas and Adam Beard also named in the starting line-up. Jac Morgan is named to make an impact from the bench.
Blair Murray, selected on the wing, will win his first cap and become the 1,208th men’s international for Wales on Sunday.
Archie Griffin (tight-head prop) will join Dewi Lake and Gareth Thomas in the front row.
Adam Beard and Will Rowlands return to the Wales starting line-up in the second row having missed the summer Tests in Australia.
Taine Plumtree is selected at blindside flanker, Tommy Reffell is at open-side and Aaron Wainwright completes the back row at No. 8.
Tomos Williams starts at scrum-half having missed the summer tour down under due to injury. Gareth Anscombe is named at fly-half, making his first Wales appearance since Rugby World Cup 2023.
Ben Thomas is selected at inside centre and Max Llewellyn, who will make his third appearance for Wales this weekend, partners Thomas in the midfield.
Cameron Winnett is named at full-back to make his eighth consecutive Test start for Wales and Mason Grady completes the starting XV on the wing.
There is a six-two split among the Wales replacements. Ryan Elias (hooker), Nicky Smith (loose-head prop) and Keiron Assiratti (tight-head prop) are the front row cover, with Christ Tshiunza, James Botham and Jac Morgan the other forward replacements.
Ellis Bevan and Sam Costelow are Wales’ replacement backs.
Gatland said: “We have excellent competition in the squad, so it was a tough selection and there were some close calls but I think there’s a really nice balance for Sunday. We have some experienced players back alongside some exciting youngsters.
"We know how dangerous Fiji can be, so we’ve got to make sure that we bring physicality and are ruthless on Sunday. We need to be switched on for the full 80 minutes.
“After four matches away from home, we cannot wait to get back out in front of a home crowd at Principality Stadium. It’s going to be a fantastic occasion and we’re looking forward to getting our Autumn Nations Series campaign underway.”
In addition, former international match official Nigel Owens, whose Test career spanned 17 years and 210 matches in total including 100 as referee, will join the Wales coaching staff on match days for the Autumn Nations Series in an advisory role.
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Mae Prif Hyfforddwr Cymru Warren Gatland wedi enwi ei dîm i wynebu Fiji yng ngêm agoriadol Cyfres yr Hydref 2024 yn Stadiwm Principality, ddydd Sul 10 Tachwedd am 1.40pm. (Bydd yr ornest yn fyw ar S4C a TNT Sports).
Mae Blair Murray wedi ei ddewis ar yr asgell ar gyfer ei gap cyntaf ac ef fydd chwaraewr rhif 1,208 I gynrychioli tîm dynion Cymru.
Bydd Gareth Thomas (prop pen rhydd) ac Archie Griffin (prop pen tynn) yn ymuno gyda’r capten Dewi Lake yn y rheng flaen.
Adam Beard a Will Rowlands fydd yn yr ail reng wedi I’r ddau ohonynt fethu â theithio i Awstralia dros yr haf.
Mae Taine Plumtree wedi ei ddewis yn flaen asgellwr ar yr ochr dywyll, gyda Tommy Reffell a’r wythwr Aaron Wainwright yn cwblhau’r rheng ôl.
Haneri Caerloyw sydd wedi cael eu dewis i wynebu Fiji ddydd Sul. ‘Roedd Tomos Williams wedi ei anafu dros yr haf ac felly nid oedd ar gael i deithio i Awstralia ac nid yw Gareth Anscombe wedi dechrau gêm dros Gymru ers Cwpan y Byd y llynedd.
Bydd Thomas ac Anscombe yn gyfarwydd iawn â Max Llewellyn wrth gwrs – aelod arall o glwb Caerloyw sydd wedi ei ddewis yn y canol yn bartner i Ben Thomas.
Bydd Cam Winnett yn dechrau yn safle’r cefnwr am yr wythfed gêm yn olynol a Mason Grady sydd wedi ei ddewis yn gyd-asgellwr gyda’r cap newydd Blair Murray.
Mae chwech o flaenwyr wedi eu dewis ar y fainc a dau olwr: Ryan Elias (bachwr), Nicky Smith (prop pen rhydd) a Keiron Assiratti (prop pen tynn) fydd yn cynnig yr opsiynau o safbwynt y rheng flaen - gyda Christ Tshiunza, James Botham a Jac Morgan yn cwblhau’r fainc o safbwynt y blaenwyr.
Ellis Bevan a Sam Costelow yw’r ddau eilydd ar gyfer yr olwyr.
Dywedodd Warren Gatland: “Mae gennym wir gystadleuaeth yn y garfan ac felly ‘roedd dewis y tîm yn galed iawn. Fe drafodon ni nifer o safleoedd am gyfnod maith ac ‘ry’n ni’n hapus iawn gyda chydbwysedd y tîm sydd wedi cael ei ddewis yn y pendraw. Mae ‘na gymysgedd braf o brofiad a ieuenctid yn y tîm yma fydd yn wynebu her gwirioneddol Fiji ddydd Sul.
“Ry’n ni’n gwybod pa mor beryglus y gall Fiji fod ac felly mae’n rhaid i ni fod yn gorfforol, effeithiol a digyfaddawd am yr holl 80 munud.
“Wedi pedair gêm ar y lôn, ‘ry’n ni gyd yn awchu i ddychwelyd i Stadiwm Principality o flaen ein cefnogwyr ein hunain. Mae’n mynd i fod yn dipyn o achlysur ac yn ffordd ardderchog i ni ddechrau Cyfres yr Hydref sy’n argoeli i fod yn arbennig o gyffrous.”
Ar ddyddiau’r tair gêm yn ystod yr Hydref, bydd y cyn-ddyfarnwr rhyngwladol Nigel Owens yn ymuno â thîm hyfforddi Cymru fel ymgynghorydd. Yn ystod ei yrfa ryngwladol - barodd am 17 o flynyddoedd – fe ddyfarnodd Owens 100 o gemau prawf gyda’r chwiban a bu’n aelod o’r tîm dyfarnu mewn 110 o gemau eraill hefyd.
Wales team to face Fiji | Tîm Cymru i wynebu Fiji
15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 7 caps)
14. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 14 caps)
13. Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw – 2 caps)
12. Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 4 caps)
11. Blair Murray (Scarlets – uncapped / heb gap)
10. Gareth Anscombe (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw – 37 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw – 58 caps)
1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys / Gweilch – 33 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys / Gweilch – 15 caps) captain / capten
3. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby / Caerfaddon – 3 caps)
4. Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 33 caps)
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 56 caps)
6. Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 5 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 20 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 50 caps)
Replacements / Eilyddion
16. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 41 caps)
17. Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 46 caps)
18. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 7 caps)
19. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps)
20. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 13 caps)
21. Jac Morgan (Ospreys / Gweilch – 15 caps)
22. Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 3 caps)
23. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 15 caps)
