RUGBY SHORTS
÷WALES head coach Warren Gatland has made 10 changes and one positional switch for tomorrow’s Six Nations clash against Italy in Rome. Full-back Liam Williams, wing Josh Adams, centre Jonathan Davies — who captains Wales for the first time — lock Adam Beard and back-row forward Josh Navidi are the only starting XV survivors from last week’s 24-19 victory over France. Navidi switches from flanker to number eight, while regular skipper Alun-Wyn Jones is among the replacements in a team that sees Leicester wing Jonah Holmes and Wasps flanker Thomas Young making their Six Nations debuts. WALES: L Williams; J Holmes, J Davies (capt), O Watkin, J Adams; D Biggar, A Davies; N Smith, E Dee, S Lee; J Ball, A Beard; A Wainwright, T Young, J Navidi. Reps: R Elias, W Jones, D Lewis, AW Jones, R Moriarty, G Davies, G Anscombe, H Amos. ÷ITALY coach Conor O’Shea has made two changes for his side’s clash with Wales. Edoardo Padovani comes into the backline and Nicola
Quaglio into the front row as Italy look to bounce back from their opening defeat to Scotland. Padovani comes onto the right wing with Michele Campagnaro shifting inside to centre while Quaglio replaces loosehead prop Andrea Lovotti, who has the flu.
ITALY: J Hayward; E Padovani, M Campagnaro, L Morisi, A Esposito; T Allan, G Palazzani; N Quaglio, L Ghiraldini, S Ferrari; D Sisi, D Budd; S Negri, A Steyn, S Parisse (capt). Reps: L Bigi, C Traore, T Pasquali, F Ruzza, M Barbini, E Gori, I McKinley, T Benvenuti.
÷IRELAND U20s are determined to build on last weekend’s impressive win over England when they take on Scotland in Netherdale tonight (7.30pm). Coach Noel McNamara has made just one change, Cormac Foley coming in at scrumhalf for the injured Craig Casey, and is expecting a tough challenge against the Scots. ‘It was great to start with a win but there’s a new challenge in front of us and Scotland will be hurting from their loss against Italy,’ he said.
IRELAND U20: J Flannery; C Phillips, L Turner, D Hawkshaw (capt), J Wren; H Byrne, C Foley; J Wycherley, D Tierney Martin, T Clarkson; C Ryan, N Murray; M Moloney. S Penny, J Hodnett. Reps: J McKee, M Milne, R Lomas, B Deeny, D McCann, C Reilly, S French, R Russell.