Former Wales captain Ryan Jones will take the place of banned lock Bradley Davies in Sunday's RBS 6 Nations clash against Millennium Stadium visitors Scotland.
Wales coach Warren Gatland has, as expected, moved Jones from blindside flanker to partner his Ospreys colleague Ian Evans in the second row.
And in a triple fitness boost for Gatland, flanker Dan Lydiate has recovered from an ankle injury to reclaim the number six shirt, prop Gethin Jenkins has shaken off knee trouble to start and skipper Sam Warburton also features.
Warburton went off at half-time during Wales' dramatic 23-21 victory over Ireland in Dublin four days ago because of a leg injury, but he has been named to pack down alongside back-row colleagues Lydiate and Toby Faletau.
Davies, meanwhile, is sidelined until March 26 after receiving a seven-week suspension yesterday for foul play during the Ireland game, when he recklessly tip-tackled Irish replacement Donnacha Ryan.
Jenkins, despite being hurt while on Heineken Cup duty for Cardiff Blues just 18 days ago, will win his 84th cap, taking over from Saracens loosehead Rhys Gill.
Gill does not feature in the matchday 22, with Paul James providing prop cover. The bench also includes 24-year-old uncapped Scarlets lock Lou Reed.
All Gatland's changes are up front, as he predictably retains the back division en bloc that caused mayhem for Ireland's defence and conjured tries for Jonathan Davies (two) and George North.
Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G North (Scarlets); R Priestland (Scarlets), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), H Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys), R Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: K Owens (Scarlets), P James (Ospreys), L Reed (Scarlets), A Powell (Sale Sharks), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Perpignan), S Williams (Scarlets).
Article
