Scarlets skipper Josh Macleod will make his first Wales appearance in three years after being picked in the No. 7 jersey for Wales’s first Test against Japan at a sold-out Mikuni World Stadium, Kitakyushu on Saturday (KO 06.00h BST, live on BBC One Wales).
Macleod, who had an outstanding 2024-25 campaign for the Scarlets, last featured for his country during the 2022 Autumn Nations Series.
He is one of six Scarlets named in the match-day 23 with Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, Sam Costelow and Johnny Williams joining him in the run-on side and Joe Roberts selected on the bench.
For Williams, it is also a deserved return to international rugby, having last featured for Wales at Rugby World Cup 2023. He is picked at outside centre with Ben Thomas at 12.
Costelow is back in the starting line-up at fly-half, having missed the 2025 Guinness Six Nations due to a shoulder injury.
On Macleod’s return head coach Matt Sherratt said: “Something we made a big point of in the first team meeting was that there’s a number of players who’ve worked their way back into the squad.
“Josh Macleod is an obvious one. He’s struggled with some injuries, had a real rollercoaster over the last three or four years, so him coming back in is massive.
Wales team v Japan – 1st Test | Tîm Cymru v Japan
15. Blair Murray (Scarlets – 8 caps); 14. Tom Rogers (Scarlets – 9 caps), 13. Johnny Williams (Scarlets – 7 caps), 12. Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 12 caps), 11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 61 caps); 10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 18 caps), 9. Kieran Hardy (Ospreys | Gweilch – 23 caps); 1. Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers | Caerlŷr – 54 caps), 2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys | Gweilch – 20 caps) – captain | capten, 3. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 14 caps), 4. Ben Carter (Dragons | Dreigiau – 12 caps), 5. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 6 caps), 6. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 5 caps), 7. Josh Macleod (Scarlets – 2 caps), 8. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – 108 caps)
Reps: 16. Liam Belcher (Cardiff Rugby | Caerdydd – uncapped | heb gap), 17. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys | Gweilch – 40 caps), 18. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby| Caerfaddon – 6 caps), 19. James Ratti (Ospreys | Gweilch – 1 cap), 20. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons | Dreigiau – 57 caps), 21. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr – 27 caps), 22. Rhodri Williams (Dragons | Dreigiau – 9 caps), 23. Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 5 caps)