Wales team to face All Blacks at Principality Stadium

Wales have made three changes from the side beaten by Australia earlier this month for Saturday's clash against world champions New Zealand.

Wing Hallam Amos, centre Scott Williams and scrum-half Rhys Webb all make head coach Warren Gatland's starting line-up at the Principality Stadium.

The team, announced by the Welsh Rugby Union, sees Amos replace an injured Liam Williams, while Scott Williams takes over from Jonathan Davies, who is now a long-term absentee with a foot injury, and Webb is preferred to Gareth Davies.

Gatland, though, has named an unchanged pack following the 29-21 Wallabies defeat 12 days ago, with fit-again flanker Justin Tipuric chosen among the replacements, where he is joined by the likes of 93 times-capped centre Jamie Roberts, Bath fly-half Rhys Priestland and Scarlets prop Wyn Jones.

Amos, Scott Williams, who wins his 50th cap, and Webb are only the starting XV survivors following last weekend's dour 13-6 victory over Georgia.

Wales have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953, losing 29 successive Tests against them.

Roberts returns to Wales' match-day 23 after initially missing out on autumn Test squad selection.

The 31-year-old was then summoned as injury cover for Jonathan Davies, and he will offer Gatland considerable experience off the bench.

Tipuric, meanwhile, was sidelined from the Australia and Georgia Tests due to a thigh injury, but Gatland has opted to field Aaron Shingler and Josh Navidi as his flankers. Both had solid games against the Wallabies.

The loss of both British and Irish Lions Liam Williams and Jonathan Davies represents a huge double for Gatland, although Scott Williams is a seasoned international campaigner and Amos and his fellow wing Steff Evans have scored three tries between them in Wales' last two games.

Gatland said: "It's great to name an unchanged pack from the Australia match.

"We were pleased with a lot of aspects of our second-half performance in that match, so we are looking to build on that on Saturday.

"We have a couple of injuries in the back-line, but we also have players on form starting. Steff Evans and Hallam Amos are both on form, and we are excited to see what they can do.

"We have spoken heavily about opportunity this autumn, and there is no greater opportunity than lining up against the world champions."

Priestland will join Scott Williams in reaching 50 caps if he is required off the replacements' bench.


Wales team to play New Zealand

Forwards: 1 Rob Evans (Scarlets), 2 Ken Owens (Scarlets), 3 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), 4 Jake Ball (Scarlets), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (CAPTAIN, Ospreys), 6 Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), 7 Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), 8 Taulupe Faletau (Bath)

Backs: 9 Rhys Webb (Ospreys), 10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys), 11 Steff Evans (Scarlets), 12 Owen Williams (Gloucester), 13 Scott Williams (Scarlets), 14 Hallam Amos (Dragons), 15 Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets)

Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), 17 Wyn Jones (Scarlets), 18 Leon Brown (Dragons), 19 Cory Hill (Dragons), 20 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), 21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets), 22 Rhys Priestland (Bath), 23 Jamie Roberts (Harlequins)

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