Colin Charvis, Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas will start Wales’ crunch Pool B game against Australia on Saturday.

Jones and Thomas come in at fly-half and full-back for James Hook and Kevin Morgan, after successfully replacing the two in the opening win over Canada.

Charvis’ replacement of Alix Popham in the back row is more of a shock, the veteran considered a more robust man.

Jonathan Thomas moves from blind-side to number eight, Popham, Hook and Morgan all selected on the bench.

The rest of the team is unchanged, Adam Jones holding on to the tight-head jersey ahead of Chris Horsman, who has troubled Australia with his scrummaging in recent encounters.

Ian Evans is back to training in a fully fit, 30-man squad, but the Ospreys lock does not make the cut, having not played since December.

 ”We need to match Australia up front and have the backs to get around them,” Charvis told BBC Sport Wales.

“I’ve faced the Wallabies a number of times and – like all southern hemisphere teams – they have such confidence in their play that they will feel they have one hand on the win already.

“They have a world class back row who threaten in all areas.

“It’s hard to beat a side like that. You have to show tenacity and perform to your peak.”

Wales team to play Australia at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Saturday:

G Thomas (Cardiff Blues, capt); M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), S Parker (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), D Peel (Llanelli Scarlets); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), M Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), I Gough (Ospreys), AW Jones (Ospreys), C Charvis (Newport Gwent Dragons), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), J Thomas (Ospreys).
Replacements: T Rhys Thomas (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Ospreys), M Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons), A Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys), J Hook (Ospreys), K Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons).

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