Rugby-Winnett debuts at fullback for Wales against Scotland

Wales team: 15-Cameron Winnett, 14-Josh Adams, 13-Owen Watkin, 12-Nick Tompkins 11-Rio Dyer, 10-Sam Costelow, 9-Gareth Davies; 1-Corey Domachowski, 2-Ryan Elias, 3-Leon Brown, 4-Adam Beard, 5-Dafydd Jenkins (captain), 6-James Botham, 7-Tommy Reffell, 8-Aaron Wainwright Replacements: 16-Elliot Dee, 17-Kemsley Mathias, 18-Keiron Assiratti, 19-Teddy Williams, 20-Alex Mann, 21-Tomos Williams, 22-Ioan Lloyd 23-Mason Grady,

Cameron Winnett will make his debut at fullback and Sam Costelow has been preferred at flyhalf in the Wales side to face Scotland in their Six Nations Championship opener in Cardiff on Saturday.

Winnett, 21, had been a doubt with a jaw injury that threatened to rule him out of the first few games of the Six Nations, but he has recovered in time to play. "Cameron is just a lovely footballer and I think he’s going to develop into a quality international player in the future," Wales coach Warren Gatland said.

"He’s young and there’ll be no pressure on him. He’s done really well in training and following consultation with his surgeon everyone was happy for him to be selected." The starting lineup features seven players who began Wales’ last international, a 29-17 Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina in October, with injury and retirements forcing Gatland’s hand to some degree.

Josh Adams and Rio Dyer are on the wings with Louis Rees-Zammit having left rugby to try his hand at American Football, and Nick Tompkins and Owen Watkin are the centre pairing. The latter makes his first Wales appearance since 2022 in the absence of the injured George North.

Gareth Davies gets the nod at scrumhalf in a line-up that features Wales' second youngest captain ever, 21-year-old lock Dafydd Jenkins, with only Gareth Edwards ahead of him on the list. Jenkins is in the second row with Adam Beard, and ahead of them are props Corey Domachowski and Leon Brown, with Ryan Elias at hooker.

The back row is made up of number eight Aaron Wainwright, and flankers James Botham, his first test for over two years, and Tommy Reffell. "We’ve got some players who were involved in the World Cup, so have some experience and then some exciting youngsters and when I look at that forward pack, it’s not a small forward pack. It’s a big forward pack," Gatland said.

Among the Wales replacements, back row Alex Mann could make his first senior international appearance. Gatland confirmed visitors Scotland have requested the Principality Stadium roof be open.

"I think it’s a little bit disappointing from an atmosphere point of view. But that’s the decision that they made," he said. Wales team: 15-Cameron Winnett, 14-Josh Adams, 13-Owen Watkin, 12-Nick Tompkins 11-Rio Dyer, 10-Sam Costelow, 9-Gareth Davies; 1-Corey Domachowski, 2-Ryan Elias, 3-Leon Brown, 4-Adam Beard, 5-Dafydd Jenkins (captain), 6-James Botham, 7-Tommy Reffell, 8-Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: 16-Elliot Dee, 17-Kemsley Mathias, 18-Keiron Assiratti, 19-Teddy Williams, 20-Alex Mann, 21-Tomos Williams, 22-Ioan Lloyd 23-Mason Grady,