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Former England prop Henry Thomas will make his first Wales start in Friday’s Guinness Six Nations opener against France.
The ex-Sale and Bath tighthead, who also played French club rugby for Castres and Montpellier, has won four caps as a replacement since switching allegiance to Wales in 2023.
Thomas, whose father is from Swansea, was able to make the move under World Rugby regulations because his last England appearance had been more than three years earlier.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has also handed a full Test bow to 23-year-old Cardiff hooker Evan Lloyd, who steps up with Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias both injured, against a juggernaut French pack in Paris.
There is no return for 104 times-capped number eight Taulupe Faletau, though, who was named in Gatland’s Six Nations squad.
Faletau has not played Test rugby since Wales’ last win – a 2023 World Cup pool victory over Georgia – after breaking his arm in that game, then suffering a fractured shoulder when he returned for Cardiff six months later.
Gatland has selected a back-row of Aaron Wainwright at number eight alongside James Botham and captain Jac Morgan.
Full-back Liam Williams and wing Josh Adams – with 151 caps between them – also feature, while Saracens centre Nick Tompkins is recalled, partnering Owen Watkin in midfield.
Cardiff’s Ben Thomas fills the fly-half role, uncapped Ospreys number 10 Dan Edwards is on the bench and Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins makes a first Wales appearance for almost 11 months after undergoing knee and shoulder operations.
There are only four survivors in the Wales starting line-up from the side beaten by South Africa last time out – Ben Thomas, Will Rowlands, Botham and Morgan.
The return of players such as Adams and Liam Williams, though, gives a more-experienced look to a Wales team that contains a combined total of 487 caps.
Wales are on a record run of 12-successive Test defeats, while it is six losses in a row against France.
Gatland said: “We are excited for the challenge on Friday. The Six Nations in the best rugby competition in the world.
“Every game is a big occasion. We want to go out there, embrace that and start our championship well.”
Wales XV: 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Evan Lloyd, 3 Henry Thomas; 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Dafydd Jenkins; 6 James Botham, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 8 Aaron Wainwright; 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Ben Thomas; 11 Josh Adams, 12 Owen Watkin, 13 Nick Tompkins, 14 Tom Rogers; 15 Liam Williams.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie. Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell; 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Blair Murray.
