Josh Adams to start for Wales at centre against Ireland in Six Nations opener

Josh Adams will make his first Test match appearance in the centre when Wales launch their Six Nations Championship title defence against Ireland on Saturday.

Adams, who has won 35 caps and was the top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup from his usual position on the wing, would have featured at centre in the Autumn Nations Series appointment with Fiji this season, but he suffered an injury during the warmup and did not start.

Saracens’ Nick Tompkins will partner Adams in midfield, while there are also starts for the winger Johnny McNicholl and flanker Taine Basham, with the uncapped Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake among the replacements.

The flanker Ross Moriarty, who has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered against New Zealand in October, is also on the bench and poised to win his 50th cap.

But there is no place in the matchday 23 for centre Jonathan Davies, who has made 99 Test match appearances for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.

L Williams (Scarlets); J McNicholl (Scarlets), J Adams (Cardiff), N Tompkins (Saracens), L Rees-Zammit (Gloucester); D Biggar (Northampton, capt), T Williams (Cardiff); W Jones (Scarlets), R Elias (Scarlets), T Francis (Ospreys), W Rowlands (Dragons), A Beard (Ospreys), E Jenkins (Cardiff), T Basham (Dragons), A Wainwright (Dragons)Replacements D Lake (Ospreys), G Thomas (Ospreys), D Lewis (Cardiff), S Davies (Cardiff), R Moriarty (Dragons), G Davies (Scarlets), C Sheedy (Bristol), O Watkin (Ospreys)

Ireland v Wales, Aviva Stadium, Saturday 5 February, 2.15pm

Fly-half Dan Biggar will lead the team as Wales start the tournament without the world record Test match appearance holder Alun Wyn Jones. Jones is among a number of British and Irish Lions currently out injured, including George