Wales try Adams experiment for Six Nations opener v Ireland

:Injury-hit defending champions Wales have handed wing Josh Adams his first international start at outside centre for their Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

It was not an unexpected move from coach Wayne Pivac, who has long spoken of the virtues of Adams in the position. He will partner Nick Tompkins in the midfield.

Wales are missing a total of 680 caps through injury and look particularly thin among the centres, prompting a switch Pivac wanted to try in the autumn international against Fiji late last year before Adams withdrew from the game when he injured himself in the warm-up.

"It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while," Pivac said in a media release from Welsh Rugby.

"He’s done it in training and in small doses at the end of a game. We think this is a golden opportunity to answer that question."

The back three is made up of wings Johnny McNicholl and Louis Rees-Zammit, and fullback Liam Williams. New captain Dan Biggar is at flyhalf and Tomos Williams completed the backline.

Lock Will Rowlands is back in the side to partner Adam Beard, while the front row features hooker Ryan Elias, who will have props Wyn Jones and Tomas Francis either side of him.

Highly-rated flank Taine Basham will make his Six Nations debut, joining Ellis Jenkins and number eight Aaron Wainwright at the back of the scrum.

Loose-forward Ross Moriarty is fit enough for the bench and looking to earn a 50th cap, while hoping to earn his first is hooker Dewi Lake.

Pivac says they know what to expect from Ireland.

"They’re a very, very tough, very physical side. So we know we’re going to have to step up in that area of the game and make sure we do that for 80 mins.

"We’ve got to be very disciplined and as a result be in