New Zealand vs Wales in the Bronze medal match takes place on Friday (9am kick off)
Thursday 31 October 2019 14:32, UK
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has made nine changes to his side for their Rugby World Cup Bronze medal match with New Zealand on Friday, five days after a bruising semi-final defeat to South Africa.
Among the changes, the half-back partnership is altered as Tomos Williams and Rhys Patchell come in for Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar at scrum-half and fly-half respectively.
Both props are also changed in the front-row as Nicky Smith starts for Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis comes in for the injured Tomas Francis.
James Davies is brought into the back-row at seven, with Justin Tipuric moving to blindside and Aaron Wainwright dropping out, while Adam Beard replaces Jake Ball in the second row.
In the outside backs, Owen Watkin replaces Hadleigh Parkes at inside centre, Owen Lane comes in for his World Cup debut for the injured George North on the right wing, and Hallam Amos starts at full-back in place of Leigh Halfpenny.
Centre Jonathan Davies is the only player who remains in a starting position from Wales' Rugby World Cup 2011 Bronze medal defeat to Australia who starts in this year's clash.
Wing Josh Adams - who has six tries and is leading scorer so far in Japan - will look to break Shane Williams' Wales record of six tries in a single World Cup.
Friday's Test with the All Blacks will be Gatland's final game in charge of Wales, having won four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, since taking over in December 2007.
In 150 Tests, Gatland oversaw 85 wins, 63 losses and two draws, though he lost all 11 previous encounters with his native New Zealand.
Friday will be a record 22nd Rugby World Cup Test in charge for Gatland (18 with Wales, four with Ireland), with All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen next in the list having led New Zealand 18 times at a World Cup.
Wales: 15 Hallam Amos, 14 Owen Lane, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Adam Beard, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 6 Justin Tipuric, 7 James Davies, 8 Ross Moriarty.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Wyn Jones, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Aaron Shingler, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Hadleigh Parkes.
