North the centre of attention for Wales

George North will start his second match in the centre for Wales on Saturday when their World Cup group rivals Australia visit the Millennium Stadium after Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams were ruled out by injury.

North, who scored four tries against Ospreys in the European Champions Cup last month after moving from the wing to the centre, partnered Jamie Roberts in the midfield against France in last season's Six Nations and spent the last 32 minutes there against Australia last year from where he scored the second of his two tries.

North's switch means Liam Williams, a full-back by preference, will play on the left wing while Cory Allen, who has recovered from a back strain, will cover centre from the bench.

Rhys Webb has been preferred to the Lion Mike Phillips at scrum-half, partnering his Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar, and the Wales head coach, Warren Gatland, who left the tighthead prop Adam Jones out of the squad, has dropped the cap centurion Gethin Jenkins to the bench with Bath's Paul James starting at loosehead.

Jake Ball partners Alun Wyn Jones in the second row after Wales made a deal with Racing Métro, releasing the lock Luke Charteris to play for the club this weekend and, in return, he will be available for Wales's fourth international this month, against South Africa.

Wales are strengthened by the return of four players who missed the summer tour to South Africa – Leigh Halfpenny, Sam Warburton, Richard Hibbard and Webb, while Dan Lydiate, who has not played for Racing Métro for more than a month pending a move to Ospreys, takes his place in a familiar back row.

“We have had a couple of very hard weeks at training, the squad have been put their paces but come have come through well,” said Gatland. “It’s good to be able to bring back a number of players who missed the last two Tests and they add to what is a very experienced side.

“Injuries in the midfield means we get to see Jamie and George line up together there again and we were pleased with how that went earlier in the year, while the form of Dan and Rhys has been good for Ospreys and Paul James and Jake Ball start having impressed this season.

“The last few outings against Australia have been extremely tight. We are expecting the same this weekend and it’s going to be another huge battle, one we are really looking forward to.”

Wales (v Australia): Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton), Jamie Roberts (Racing Métro), Liam Williams (Scarlets); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Paul James (Bath), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Samson Lee (Scarlets); Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys); Dan Lydiate (Unattached), Sam Warburton (capt), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Métro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues).