Injured captain Jonathan Humphreys is replaced by Pontypridd hooker Mefin Davies, while the three other switches are all among the backs.

Former Leeds rugby league star Iestyn Harris wins promotion off the bench and starts at inside-centre instead of Tom Shanklin - while Craig Morgan takes over from injured wing Mark Jones, and Llanelli scrum-half Dwayne Peel is preferred to Gareth Cooper.

Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams will take over from Humphreys as captain, leading Wales for the second time in the tournament - having previously done so in the defeat against Scotland three weeks ago.

If Wales lose then they will suffer their first championship whitewash since 1995.

Wales Team: R Williams (Cardiff); C Morgan (Cardiff), M Taylor (Swansea), I Harris (Cardiff), G Thomas (Bridgend); S Jones (Llanelli), D Peel (Llanelli); I Thomas (Llanelli), M Davies (Pontypridd), G Jenkins (Pontypridd), R Sidoli (Pontypridd), G Llewellyn (Neath), C Charvis (Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff, captain), D Jones (Llanelli).

Replacements: G Williams (Bridgend), M Madden (Llanelli), S Williams (Northampton), G Thomas (Bath), G Cooper (Bath), T Shanklin (Saracens), M Watkins (Llanelli).