Mee makes Wales debut, Anscombe and Llewellyn back

Men's Six Nations: Wales v Ireland

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 22 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC One and S4C. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app.

Scarlets wing Ellis Mee will make his Wales debut against Ireland while fly-half Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn return for Saturday's Six Nations match in Cardiff.

Interim head coach Matt Sherratt, who will be in charge for his first game following Warren Gatland's departure earlier this month, has made eight personnel changes from the side that lost against Italy along with two positional alterations.

Mee, 21, who signed for Scarlets this season from Nottingham and qualifies for Wales through his mother from Newport, replaces the injured Josh Adams.

Anscombe, 33, will make his first Six Nations start since inspiring Wales to a Grand Slam victory against Ireland in Cardiff six years ago.

He is selected less than a week after being one of two fly-halves called into the squad by Sherratt alongside Harlequins' Jarrod Evans, who is named on the replacements bench.

Anscombe and Evans had previously been left out by Gatland. The former head coach had named only one specialist fly-half in his initial squad in Ospreys number 10 Dan Edwards, who is not involved against Ireland.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas started the defeats against France and Italy in the unfamiliar fly-half role.

Anscombe's Gloucester team-mate Llewellyn also come straight back into the starting side and will partner Thomas in midfield.

There is a new-look starting front-row trio of Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee and WillGriff John, who will make his Six Nations debut and play his first international for three-and-a-half years.

Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins returns from illness, while Tommy Reffell joins fellow flanker and captain Jac Morgan, and number eight Taulupe Faletau in the back row.

Adams, Eddie James, Nick Tompkins, Gareth Thomas, Evan Lloyd, Henry Thomas, Freddie Thomas and James Botham drop out of the starting side.

Gatland's second reign as head coach ended on the back of the dire display in Rome which was an eighth successive Six Nations defeat to equal Wales' worst record in the tournament.

It was Wales' 14th successive Test loss and within 72 hours Gatland had gone - with Cardiff boss Sherratt appointed on an interim basis for the remaining Six Nations fixtures against Ireland, Scotland and England.

Wales have dropped to a lowest position of 12th in the world rankings and have not won a Test match since October 2023.

They have lost seven successive internationals at the Principality Stadium since defeating England in a World Cup warm-up game in August 2023.

"We're looking forward to the challenge of facing Ireland," said Sherratt.

"We have spoken this week about being brave, but not reckless and making sure everyone knows their roles. We also know that keeping our discipline will be huge.

"Everyone is excited for our first home game of the Six Nations. The atmosphere Wales fans create at Principality Stadium is incredible and playing at home is something the players look forward to."

In contrast, Ireland are ranked second in the world and bidding to create history by winning a third consecutive Six Nations title.

They remain on course for a Grand Slam having defeated England and Scotland in the opening rounds of this tournament and can clinch their 14th Triple Crown in Cardiff by beating Wales this weekend.

With Andy Farrell away with the British and Irish Lions, Ireland also have an interim head coach in Simon Easterby who has been linked with the Wales top job.

Wales: Murray; Rogers, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Mee; Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Smith, Dee, John, Rowlands, D Jenkins, Morgan (capt), Reffell, Faletau.

Replacements: E Lloyd, G Thomas, H Thomas, Teddy Williams, Wainwright, R Williams, J Evans, J Roberts.