Five Scarlets selected for Wales’ Six Nations opener against Scotland

Rob Lloyd News

Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies and Ryan Elias have been named in the Wales starting XV to face Scotland in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations at the Principality Stadium on Saturday (16:45).

Kemsley Mathias and Ioan Lloyd are named on the bench and are set for their Championship debuts.

Fly-half Costelow will wear the No. 10 jersey for the first time in the tournament, having made seven of his previous eight Test appearances off the bench. For scrum-half Davies, the most experienced member of the side, it will be his 74th cap.

Carmarthen product Elias was first-choice hooker during the Rugby World Cup in France and continues in the No.2 shirt, while Pembrokeshire prop Mathias won his lone Wales cap against England in the summer.

Lloyd is rewarded for his impressive form for the Scarlets with a place in the match-day squad for the first time since the Covid-hit Autumn Nations campaign in Llanelli in 2020.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named a youthful line-up to face the Scots with the uncapped Cameron Winnett starting at full-back.

At 21 years and 60 days old on Saturday, Dafydd Jenkins will become the second youngest man to captain Wales after Sir Gareth Edwards.

Gatland said: “I think there’s a really nice balance in the squad. We’ve got some players who were involved in the world cup so have some experience and then some exciting youngsters and when I look at that forward pack, it’s not a small forward pack. It’s a big forward pack.

“The players understand how important this first game is in the competition. The sold out stadium, go out there, you get the Six Nations off to a good start, you can create some momentum. I’ve been really pleased with their attitude and the way that they’ve trained this week and we should be really excited about this first game.”

Wales senior men’s team to play Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 3 February KO 4.45pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.

15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)

14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 54 caps)

13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch – 36 caps)

12. Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid – 32 caps)

11. Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau – 14 caps)

10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 8 caps)

9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets – 74 caps)

1. Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)

2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 38 caps)

3. Leon Brown (Dragons / Dreigiau – 23 caps)

4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg – 12 caps) Captain / Capten

5. Adam Beard (Ospreys / Gweilch – 51 caps)

6. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 9 caps)

7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr –  13 caps)

8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau – 43 caps)

Replacements

16. Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau – 46 caps)

17. Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)

18. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 2 caps)

19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 1 cap)

20. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – uncapped / heb gap)

21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 53 caps)

22. Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 2 caps)

23. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd – 6 caps)