Sam Costelow returns at outhalf as Wales make one change for Ireland game

Uncapped Cardiff backrow forward Mackenzie Martin set to make his debut off the bench

Sam Costelow returns at outhalf for Wales in Saturday's Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images
Sam Costelow returns at outhalf for Wales in Saturday's Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

Outhalf Sam Costelow has been recalled to the Wales starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.

The Scarlets number 10 went off because of a neck problem suffered when Wales were beaten 27-26 by Scotland in their opening game of the championship.

He was replaced by Ioan Lloyd, who started at outhalf in the Twickenham appointment with England, but Costelow now returns as a solitary change from that game.

Elsewhere, there are further starts for squad newcomers Cameron Winnett and Alex Mann, while centre George North wins his 120th cap and is only the third Wales player to reach that mark after Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.

READ MORE

Uncapped Cardiff backrow forward Mackenzie Martin features among the replacements. The 20-year-old is in his first full season of professional rugby and has made just nine Cardiff appearances, but he is now set to make a Test debut at the Aviva Stadium.

Youthful Wales show signs of life ahead of Ireland game

Listen | 41:34

Other changes on the bench from Twickenham see Lloyd and Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis both included.

Wales have not won a Six Nations encounter in Dublin since 2012, drawing one and losing four of the subsequent meetings.

They face a Herculean task against opponents fresh from posting bonus-point victories over France and Italy in pursuit of successive Grand Slams.

Mackenzie Martin is in line to make his Wales debut off the bench in Saturday's Six Nations clash at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Mackenzie Martin is in line to make his Wales debut off the bench in Saturday's Six Nations clash at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Victoria Jones/PA Wire

Wales head coach Warren Gatland said: “We are excited to go out to Dublin and test ourselves against one of the leading sides in world rugby. It is a challenge we are relishing.

“We have made steps in the last couple of games and now it is about building on that, learning from those experiences and taking that into this weekend.

“It is about continuing to work hard, looking for accuracy in our performance across 80 minutes, and also keeping our discipline.”

Andy Farrell will name the Ireland team on Thursday at 2pm.

WALES (v Ireland, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, 2.15): C Winnett (Cardiff); J Adams (Cardiff), G North (Ospreys), N Tompkins (Saracens), R Dyer (Dragons); S Costelow (Scarlets), T Williams (Cardiff); G Thomas (Ospreys), E Dee (Dragons), K Assiratti (Cardiff); D Jenkins (Exeter, capt), A Beard (Ospreys); A Mann (Cardiff), T Reffell (Leicester), A Wainwright (Dragons).

Replacements: R Elias (Scarlets), C Domachowski (Cardiff), D Lewis (Harlequins), W Rowlands (Racing 92), M Martin (Cardiff), K Hardy (Scarlets), I Lloyd (Scarlets), M Grady (Cardiff).