CARDIFF (Reuters) - Wales coach Warren Gatland has made one injury-enforced change to his unbeaten Six Nations side as they look to move closer to the title against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Adam Beard comes in at lock in place of the injured Cory Hill in the one alteration from the team that beat England 21-13 in their last game in Cardiff on Feb. 23.
Hill was one of the heroes of that Welsh win but injured his ankle near the end of the game and has since been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations.
Beard has featured in the last nine tests, either starting or off the replacement bench. Jake Ball takes his place among the substitutes.
“It was a fairly straightforward selection in view of the performance against England,” Gatland said on Tuesday.
“Our bench has been fantastic for us. They have given us an impact. Not just in the last game but in others.”
He was speaking at a hastily called news conference as the team announcement was brought forward amid the distraction of reported plans to merge two of Welsh rugby’s biggest teams.
There is no place in the matchday squad still for Leigh Halfpenny despite a return at club level for the fullback.
The 30-year-old British & Irish Lion completed another 80 minutes for the Scarlets in PRO-14 action at the weekend as he continued his comeback after three months out with concussion.
He has again trained with Wales this week but Gatland resisted any temptation to bring him back, saying: “I think Leigh still needs games under his belt and is regaining confidence. It would have been unfair to leave out Owen Watkin.”
Wales were due to name their side on Thursday but did so on Tuesday over concerns that British media reports regarding plans to merge the Cardiff-based Scarlets and Swansea-based Ospreys were affecting the players' focus.
“There’s no doubt the players have been distracted," added Gatland. "It is concerning. Players have been going home and are asked question by wives and partners about what’s going on.
"Our message to the players is we need to wait and see what the outcome is going to be.
"You try and put the players’ minds to rest and get them to focus on winning Six Nations.”
Wales top the table with 12 points ahead of England on 10 and Ireland, who they host on the last matchday, with nine.
Team:
15-Liam Williams, 14-George North, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Hadleigh Parkes, 11-Josh Adams, 10-Gareth Anscombe, 9-Gareth Davies, 8-Ross Moriarty, 7-Justin Tipuric, 6-Josh Navidi, 5-Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4-Adam Beard, 3-Tomas Francis, 2-Ken Owens, 1-Rob Evans
Replacements: 16-Elliot Dee, 17-Nicky Smith, 18-Dillon Lewis, 19-Jake Ball, 20-Aaron Wainwright, 21-Aled Davies, 22-Dan Biggar, 23-Owen Watkin.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ken Ferris)
