NORTH’S IN NEW PIVAC SHAKE-UP

BY GEORGE, HE’S BACK! North ready to take on Italians

Italy

AutumnNationsCupSaturday,4.45pm GEORGE NORTH has won a Wales recall after under-pressure coach Wayne Pivac named another much-changed side to face Italy in their Autumn Nations Cup finale.

North is brought into the unfamiliar position of outside-centre, rather than on the wing, as part of nine changes for Saturday’s fifth-place play-off. Wales have won just two of their nine Tests since Pivac succeeded Warren Gatland last year – only beating Italy and Georgia. And Pivac, who made 13 changes against Georgia and a further eight in the defeat to England last time out, said: “This is another opportunity for these players and for us as a squad to continue to build and see results from all the hard work in training. “We have blooded eight new caps this campaign and, by the end of the match, each of them would have had a number of appearances to their name.

“From the outset, we wanted this campaign to be about giving players opportunity and we have done that. The hard work in training is coming through and we are keen to show that again on Saturday and finish the campaign on a high with the performance and result we want.” Flanker Justin Tipuric, who missed the 24-13 loss to England last weekend because of a head knock, returns, along with the fit-again Liam Williams at full-back.

A new front row of Nicky Smith, Sam Parry – who makes his first Test start – and Tomas Francis have also been selected.