• North at outside-centre to replace absent Jonathan Davies• Pivac set to give Test debut to Saracens centre Tompkins
Johnny McNicholl, the 29-year old New Zealander who qualified for champions Wales last year after spending three seasons with the Scarlets, will make his international debut on Saturday in the Six Nations opener against
Italy at the Principality Stadium.
The wing is the only uncapped player in the starting team and he gets his opportunity, after impressing the new Wales head coach Wayne Pivac in the victory over the Barbarians last month, because George North has been redeployed with the outside-centre Jonathan Davies absent for the whole campaign.