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Wales' Tomos Williams to make Six Nations debut

Cardiff - Tomos Williams will make his Six Nations debut in the 2019 Championship opener against France in Paris on Friday.

The Cardiff Blues scrumhalf has seen off competition from Gareth Davies to be named in the starting XV announced by coach Warren Gatland on Wednesday for the Stade de France clash.

Williams will form a half-back pairing with Cardiff team-mate Gareth Anscombe.

It will be 24-year-old Williams' seventh appearance for Wales, after he made his debut against South Africa in Washington during last year's tour.

Gatland, in what is set to be his final Six Nations as Wales coach before stepping down after this year's World Cup in Japan, made two other changes from the side that beat South Africa in November.

Cardiff flanker Josh Navidi returns after missing the whole of the November series because of injury, while Scarlets prop Rob Evans replaces Nicky Smith.

Ross Moriarty will helm the back-row at No 8, with no place in the match-day 23 for the highly-regarded Wasps loose forward Thomas Young, the son of former Wales front-row Dai Young.

Davies has overcome a thigh strain to provide bench cover for Williams as Wales try to record a seventh win in eight matches against France, who unveiled their side earlier Wednesday.

But there was no place in the side for Leigh Halfpenny as the goal-kicking ace continues his recovery from concussion.

Liam Williams was again selected at full-back, with George North and Josh Adams on the wings.

Victory for Wales in Paris would see them extend their unbeaten run to 10 games and equal their longest winning sequence since 1999.

Wales' last defeat was against eventual Grand Slam champions Ireland in last season's Six Nations.

"We come into the game on an impressive run of results, but we know how tough it will be to face France in Paris in the tournament opener," said Gatland.

"It will be a huge contest, but we are excited going into it."

The New Zealander, whose side will be captained once more by veteran second-row Alun Wyn Jones, added: "We have a great deal of experience across the team and on the bench, and we want to kick things off well on Friday."

Teams:

France

15 Maxime Medard, 14 Damian Penaud, 13 Wesley Fofana, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Yoann Huget, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Arthur Iturria, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Paul Willemse, 4 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 3 Uini Antonio, 2 Guilhelm Guirado (captain), 1 Jefferson Poirot.

Substitutes: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Dany Priso, 18 Demba Bamba, 19 Felix Lambey, 20 Gregory Alldritt, 21 Baptiste Serin, 22 Gael Fickou, 23 Geoffrey Doumayrou

Wales

15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Josh Navidi, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Adam Beard, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Rob Evans

Substitutes: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Owen Watkin

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