Wales have not been prone to paradigm shifts in their nine years under the current management team but the manner of Saturday’s defeat to Australia has prompted radical changes for Saturday’s encounter with Argentina in Cardiff.
Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate, two key figures in the series-winning third Test between the Lions and Australia in Sydney three years ago, were dropped by Rob Howley, who is Wales’s interim head coach while Warren Gatland is taking a sabbatical to prepare for next summer’s Lions tour to New Zealand.
The centre Roberts has been a regular in Wales’s starting lineup since 2009, when he last appeared on the bench, renowned for his hard running and strong tackling. Lydiate made his reputation at blindside flanker through his tackling but, at a time when the international game is evolving, becoming more attacking and less structured, Wales have found standing still has taken them backwards: they have lost five consecutive Tests and won just three of the last 12.
“We were disappointed in the manner we lost to Australia,” said Howley, who said he had spoken to Gatland this week, but only about Ireland’s victory over the All Blacks. “We made a reaction in our selection. I have sat down with Jamie – he is the captain of our defence and there were a number of defensive errors in our game. That was not good enough and Scott [Williams] offers a different skill with ball in hand.
“Jamie was not the only player who made errors. He is disappointed and I am sure we will see a response from him if he gets on as a replacement. Dan misses out on the bench because James King gives us the extra No8 option we need. A difference this week from last is that Sam Warburton was back in the selection mix.”
Warburton missed the 32-8 defeat to Australia to play for Cardiff Blues after five weeks out with face and neck injuries. He returns to the side but not to the captaincy; the prop Gethin Jenkins – who will win a 133rd Test cap, a record for a front-row forward – retains the armband. Warburton will play out of position on the blindside, with Justin Tipuric continuing as openside.
While Gatland and Howley did not speak about Wales’s humbling by Australia, Ireland showed that the way to defeat New Zealand is substantially different to the method employed in the Australia series in 2013. The role of inside-centre, in particular, is different, mixing defence and attack, while at forward there is greater emphasis on handling and athleticism – one reason why Wales have replaced Samson Lee at tighthead prop with Tomas Francis, who has yet to start a match for Exeter this season.
“There is no complacency in this group but the selection will have players on edge,” said Warburton. “Warren has always told us to play each Test as if it were our last and we never take our places for granted. Jamie has been a massive figure for us and he still has a big input this week. It has been a tough week and Saturday cannot come soon enough for us. There will be an improvement for sure.”
The second-row Alun Wyn Jones, who missed the Australia match following the death of his father, returns and even without Roberts and Lydiate in the side, the starting lineup has a total of 800 Wales caps. The scrum-half Rhys Webb has been ruled out of the rest of the autumn series and will on Friday have surgery on the ankle he injured against Australia.
Argentina have recalled their veteran centre Juan Martín Hernández after last week’s 54-20 victory over Japan in Tokyo, along with the former Leicester flanker Pablo Matera. Their two most influential players, the fly-half Nicolás Sánchez and the No8 Facundo Isa, who missed last month’s defeat to Australia at Twickenham, both start.
Wales team to face Argentina L Halfpenny (Toulon); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), G Davies (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, capt), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), L Charteris (Bath), AW Jones (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Gloucester).
Replacements S Baldwin (Ospreys), N Smith (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), C Hill (NG Dragons), J King (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Harlequins).
