Wales team to face Georgia at Principality Stadium

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Warren Gatland has made wholesale changes to the Wales starting line-up for Saturday's clash against Georgia in Cardiff.

Only Liam Williams remains from the side beaten 29-21 by Australia five days ago - and he moves from wing to full-back - as head coach Gatland looks at a number of players before Wales tackle world champions New Zealand next week.

Ospreys flanker Sam Cross, who was part of Great Britain's silver medal-winning sevens squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics, makes a first Wales start in what will be just his fourth game of professional 15-a-side rugby.

Cross featured as a second-half substitute against the Wallabies, while fellow replacements from last weekend - centre Owen Watkin, hooker Kristian Dacey, prop Leon Brown and lock Cory Hill - also start.

Elsewhere, Ospreys lock Adam Beard is named as Hill's second-row partner, with 21-year-old Cardiff Blues lock Seb Davies chosen at number eight.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has recovered from knee trouble and starts, while Scott Williams fills the outside centre position vacated by an injured Jonathan Davies, but there is no sign of flanker Justin Tipuric, who has a thigh injury.

Experienced campaigners like wing Alex Cuthbert, fly-half Rhys Priestland and flanker Dan Lydiate also feature - Lydiate captains the team - with Priestland, who has been in superb form for Bath this season, wearing Wales' number 10 shirt for the first time since their opening game of the 2015 World Cup against Uruguay.

Like Australia, Georgia are in Wales' 2019 World Cup pool, and they will arrive at the Principality Stadium fresh from a 54-22 victory over Canada last weekend.

Uncapped Dragons hooker Elliot Dee is among the replacements, but Gatland has also named plenty of experience on the bench in number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Tomas Francis and fly-half Dan Biggar.

Lydiate, meanwhile, captains his country for a third time in what will be the first meeting between Wales and Georgia.

"We felt this week was really important to give a number of the squad as much exposure as possible to Test match rugby," Gatland said.

"It is an exciting opportunity for some of the younger guys to take the field and show us what they are capable of.

"We have got a fair amount of experience to throw into the mix, too, both with players who have got a decent number of cap numbers, but also players who have been around this environment for a good while.

"Georgia are coming to Cardiff on the back of a good victory last weekend, and they will be looking to show what they can do on this stage. We have to be ready for that."

Wales team to play Georgia

Forwards: 1 Nicky Smith (Ospreys), 2 Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), 3 Leon Brown (Dragons), 4 Adam Beard (Ospreys), 5 Cory Hill (Dragons), 6 Dan Lydiate (CAPTAIN, Ospreys), 7 Sam Cross (Ospreys), 8 Seb Davies (Blues)

Backs: 9 Rhys Webb (Ospreys), 10 Rhys Priestland (Bath), 11 Hallam Amos (Dragons), 12 Owen Watkin (Ospreys), 13 Scott Williams (Scarlets), 14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), 15 Liam Williams (Saracens)

Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee (Dragons)*, 17 Wyn Jones (Scarlets), 18 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), 19 Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), 20 Taulupe Faletau (Bath), 21 Aled Davies (Scarlets), 22 Dan Biggar (Ospreys), 23 Owen Williams (Gloucester)

* denotes uncapped player

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