There is one change to the starting XV that played England at Twickenham on 10 February, with Sam Costelow returning for Wales at fly half.
Among the replacements back-row Mackenzie Martin is in line to win his first senior cap this weekend and would become the 1,200th Wales men’s international.
Heading into round three of the Six Nations, Gatland’s strategic decision sees Sam Costelow stepping in at fly-half, replacing Ioan Lloyd in the starting XV. Lloyd, having been on the front lines against England, now takes a spot on the bench for the upcoming clash.
Despite facing defeats in their initial two games, Wales demonstrated resilience and determination in a closely contested match against England, narrowly missing victory by a mere two points. Acknowledging the commendable effort, Gatland has opted to maintain the majority of the lineup, rewarding the players for their performance.
Tomos Williams joins Costelow in the half-backs, while the formidable back three comprises Rio Dyer, Cameron Winnett, and Josh Adams. The midfield is anchored by George North and Nick Tompkins.
Warren Gatland said…….
“We are excited to go out to Dublin and test ourselves against one of the leading sides in world rugby. It’s a challenge we are relishing.
We’ve made steps in the last couple of games and now it’s about building on that, learning from those experiences and taking that into this weekend.
It’s about continuing to work hard, looking for accuracy in our performance across 80 minutes and also keeping our discipline.”
In the forward pack, the front row features Gareth Thomas, Keiron Assiratti, and Elliot Dee. The second row is led by skipper Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard, with the dynamic loose forward trio consisting of Alex Mann, Tommy Reffell, and Aaron Wainwright.
On the bench, Dillon Lewis makes an appearance as a replacement following Archie Griffin’s injury against England. Cardiff Rugby’s Mackenzie Martin steps in for Taine Basham, who has been released from the squad.
The highly anticipated clash against Ireland is scheduled for 2:15 pm on Saturday, February 24, at the iconic Aviva Stadium in Dublin. For live updates on the team announcement, be sure to stay tuned.
Wales senior men’s team to play Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin in the Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 24th February KO 2.15pm GMT. Live on ITV and S4C.
15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 56 caps)
13. George North (Ospreys – 119 caps)
12. Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 34 caps)
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons – 16 caps)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 9 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 55 caps)
1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 27 caps)
2. Elliot Dee (Dragons – 48 caps)
3. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 14 caps) Captain / Capten
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 53 caps)
6. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 15 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 45 caps)
Replacements
16. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 40 caps)
17. Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby – 8 caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Harlequins – 54 caps)
19. Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 30 caps)
20. Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped)
21. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 19 caps)
22. Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 4 caps)
23. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby – 8 caps)
