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Wales name strong team for final warm-up game in Dublin

Alun Wyn Jones returns to Wales's starting XV for Saturday
Alun Wyn Jones returns to Wales's starting XV for Saturday

Wales have named a strong team to face Ireland in the final World Cup warm-up match in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. 

Having picked an almost entirely second string team for last weekend's 22-18 defeat against Ireland in Cardiff, Gatland gives more of his front rank stars a run in Dublin. 

However, he has opted to give a start to Rhys Patchell, who impressed when finishing the game last weekend, a display which helped him earn his place on the plane to Japan. 

The side this weekend shows a raft of changes from Saturday but contains seven changes from the team who convincingly beat Ireland to win the Grand Slam in March

Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Davies, Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Adam Beard and Josh Navidi (who played last week) are not named to start on Saturday though all bar Evans, who is being brought to Japan, are named among the replacements. 

Ireland are to name their team later today with coach Joe Schmidt expected to name a largely full strength team. 

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams; Rhys Patchell, Tomos Williams; Wyn Jones, Elliot Dee, Tomas Francis; Jake Ball, Alun Wyn Jones; Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty.

Subs: Ken Owens, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Josh Navidi, Gareth Davies, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams.

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