Six Nations 2018: Dan Biggar, Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny in Wales team

Last updated on 20 February 2018.From the section Welsh Rugby505

Six Nations: Ireland v Wales
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 24 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT
Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live text commentary

Dan Biggar will start at fly-half for Wales in the Six Nations match against Ireland with Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny also returning after injury.

George North is on the bench with Gareth Anscombe dropping to the replacements, while Rhys Patchell and Josh Adams miss out altogether.

There is also no place in the match squad for number eight Taulupe Faletau, who will instead play for Bath.

Biggar and Williams have not played in this year's tournament.

In all the team shows three changes from the 12-6 defeat by England at Twickenham.

Faletau, who has not played since December, has been released back to his club Bath to play against Sale on Saturday.

Coach Warren Gatland wants the British and Irish Lion back row to play before he considers him for selection.

Six Nations 2018: Warren Gatland on why Wales must contain Sexton and Murray

Good selection debate

Biggar has made a quicker than expected return from a shoulder injury which ruled him out of the first two rounds of matches, while Williams' return on the wing comes after he scored a try for Saracens in their win over Sale on Friday.

"It is great to be able to bring so much experience back into the starting XV and into the backline," said Gatland, who will take charge of Wales for the 100th time.

"Dan has a lot of experience and he's taken a full part in training and he's been working pretty hard over the last couple of weeks to get himself back into contention.

"We just felt it was the right time to bring him back in.

"We had a good debate about the back three and the backs - whether it was Dan Biggar at 10 or George North on the bench.

"We felt Toby (Faletau) needed a couple of games under his belt for Bath before he came into consideration, so they're horses for courses in terms of the players and experience."

Wales team: Halfpenny (Scarlets); L Williams (Saracens), S Williams (Scarlets), Parkes (Scarlets), S Evans (Scarlets); Biggar (Ospreys), G Davies (Scarlets); R Evans (Scarlets), Owens (Scarlets), Lee (Scarlets), Hill (Dragons), AW Jones (Ospreys capt), Shingler (Scarlets), Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements: Dee (Dragons), W Jones (Scarlets), Francis (Exeter Chiefs), B Davies (Ospreys), Tipuric (Ospreys), A Davies (Scarlets), Anscombe (Blues), North (Northampton).

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505 comments

Comment posted by mikey, at 12:40 20 Feb 2018
Dropping Patchell is wrong in my opinion but to not have him on the bench totally stinks
Comment posted by BasilF, at 12:32 20 Feb 2018
feel sorry for Patchell
Comment posted by Jonjo24, at 12:33 20 Feb 2018
Best choice for the back 3 halfpennies kicking will be needed at Dublin. Can't blame Gatland for going with Biggar but for Patchell not to be in the squad at all is harsh and will ruin his confidence.
Comment posted by Mark B, at 12:33 20 Feb 2018
Gatland wanting a smarter kicking game then. Shame for Patchell after his game against Scotland.
Comment posted by LD Rob, at 12:58 20 Feb 2018
@34 Colonel Sanders

I largely agree with you. However the most pressing question is, where have your chickens gone?
Comment posted by mike, at 12:45 20 Feb 2018
As an Englishman, I'm glad they weren't available when they played us. Faletau is special, he has that X factor but he needs a sharpener. I have no doubt he will be back for their next game. I quite fancy Wales to upset this Irish team (or is that wishful thinking)
Comment posted by LD Rob, at 18:18 20 Feb 2018
Minute silence / applause for Doncaster prop Williams this weekend? I think so. Rugby world always good at coming together in times of need.
Comment posted by fullstop, at 12:40 20 Feb 2018
If Wales are going to be competitve at the world cup then they need to bring on the new talent. These guys have played well and deserve to keep their place.

Definately a backward step. Having Biggar at flyhalf makes Ireland's job easier on Saturday.
Comment posted by KeynesianKid, at 13:29 20 Feb 2018
Anyone who has watched Ireland over the past few years under Schmidt know the type of game this is going to be. They have the best kicking game in rugby.

After last weeks game, our weakness under the high ball (without HP) was clear for everyone to see. Adams was caught out defensively for May's try and Patchell struggled.

The changes Gats has make complete sense, as harsh as it is.
Comment posted by Colonel Sanders, at 12:52 20 Feb 2018
Bad form - Patchell deserves his chance to play methinks. HP can kick the goals so what benefit does Biggar bring.
From an impartial observer's viewpoint it does mean having to endure the spectacle of Biggar ranting & raving at the ref all day though. Dull!
Comment posted by The Alternative View, at 12:41 20 Feb 2018
Even more high balls from Ireland than Eng so no surprise that DB & LH selected along with LW - Probably three of the best high ball exponents around

Plus these are Gats big game players
Comment posted by KingofAbertawe, at 12:57 20 Feb 2018
Biggar is a tremendous player, but a VERY different player to Patchell: more defensive, sits deep and conservative.

If Wales want to win a World Cup, you need to back exciting, open-running and attacking talent like Patchell and keep them in the side.

.....

why do you say that. there isn't a WC that wasn't won with conservative and pragmatic paly form the Qf onwards.
Comment posted by LD Rob, at 12:49 20 Feb 2018
I hope I'm wrong but expect both teams to play a kick and chase game. I think Gat has got this one wrong because that is playing to Ireland's strengths. Wales should play the welsh way - fast with ball in hand...
Comment posted by Scarletbehindenemylines, at 12:41 20 Feb 2018
Replacing Patch with Biggar is a move away from the brand of rugby the Welsh public is keen to see, which when executed correctly gets results.
I would agree that after an outstanding display against Scotland his performance dipped against England but Patch has the skill set to make the 10 shirt his own, we should be building a team with a view to winning the World Cup not beating IRL
Comment posted by Alyn WIN jones, at 11:09 21 Feb 2018
Oi Numbnuts (451) what does England have to do with Wales record vs SH Teams?

And this self importance is why EVERY WORLD NATION in any sport loves beating you English so much, not just the Welsh.
Comment posted by dragonsbreath, at 14:38 20 Feb 2018
Players regard Gatland as an excellent man manager. What he won't do though, is base his selection policy on, for example, 'building Patchell's confidence' by not dropping him. What about team confidence if we win? What about competing for the championship as a marker for the RWC? I'm a massive fan of Patchell and hope he's the future. But that definitely doesn't mean play him by default on sat.
Comment posted by U16942586, at 16:44 20 Feb 2018
227 Carlitos way
"What will be the Welsh excuses this weekend after the humiliating defeat to England."

What are Your excuses this week for being such a sad troll? Not enough love? Not enough recognition? Not enough brain in your head or stones in your
pants? 1000's of words few care a jot about and yet........
Your mum's the one making the excuses. At least that's what she's telling me.
Comment posted by Jonesy, at 16:42 20 Feb 2018
Carlitos Way

hardly a humiliating defeat !

go away you muppet
Comment posted by someone2088, at 12:33 20 Feb 2018
Not bad decisions in my opinion, though I think I might have had Patchell on the bench over Anscombe... and possibly switched Halfpenny & Williams- I just think Williams offers more threat from fullback than Halfpenny does.
Comment posted by Munchkin 45, at 18:21 20 Feb 2018
The last 10 games between Ireland and Wales, Ireland have won only 3, I went to the fixture last year and listened to Irish fans say how easy it would be for Ireland in this game,they were outscored 3 tries to nil , let's let the rugby do the talking it normally does :-)

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