Cai Evans moves to fly-half and number eight Ben Fry makes his first start for Wales U20 in tomorrow’s match against Argentina in Narbonne (13:00 BST).
Wales face Los Pumitas in the World Rugby U20 Championship fifth place semi-finals at the Stade D’Honneur Du Parc Des Sports Et De L’Amitie, with Italy and Australia meeting in the corresponding fixture on the same day.
The starting side shows nine changes to Wales’ last outing – a victory against Japan in their final pool game – two of which are positional: Evans from fullback to ten, and Dewi Cross from wing to fullback.
Elsewhere, Dane Blacker is back in at scrum-half, with returns for loosehead Rhys Carre and hooker Iestyn Harris in the front row. Max Williams and Rhys Davies, the second row partners that featured against Australia and New Zealand, are also reinstated.
Only captain Tommy Reffell remains from the back row that lined up against Japan, as openside Dan Davis packs down alongside Reffell and number eight Fry. Head coach Geraint Lewis said:
“We’ve got a very confident squad of players heading into this game. They are really excited by the challenge posed by Argentina. We came to France full of enthusiasm about the prospect of facing unfamiliar teams like Australia and New Zealand, so the fact that we now get to take on another Southern Hemisphere side has only increased that feeling.”
Wales U20 v Argentina U20 will be shown live across S4C’s terrestrial and digital channels.
Wales U20 team to face Argentina:
15 Dewi Cross (Ospreys)
14 Corey Baldwin (Scarlets)
13 Ioan Nicholas (Scarlets)
12 Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler (Ospreys)
11 Ryan Conbeer (Scarlets)
10 Cai Evans (Ospreys)
9 Dane Blacker (Cardiff Blues)
1 Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues)
2 Iestyn Harris (Cardiff Blues)
3 Chris Coleman (Dragons)
4 Rhys Davies (Bath Rugby)
5 Max Williams (Dragons)
6 Tommy Reffell (c) (Leicester Tigers
7 Dan Davis (Scarlets)
8 Ben Fry (Dragons)
Replacements:
16 Rhys Davies (Scarlets)
17 Dewi Lake (Ospreys)
18 Will Davies-King (Cardiff Blues)
19 Lewis Ellis-Jones (Scarlets)
20 Taine Basham (Dragons)
21 Harri Morgan (Ospreys)
22 Ben Thomas (Cardiff Blues)
23 Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues)
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