WALES COACH Warren Gatland named the versatile Rhys Priestland ahead of the steady Stephen Jones at outhalf in one of seven changes to his team for their final Pool D match against Fiji.

Barring a late missed drop goal effort in the opening 17-16 loss to the Springboks, Priestland has impressed with his running game and sharp passing and will start tomorrow where Wales are assured of qualifying barring a disastrously heavy loss.

Priestland is joined in the halfbacks by Mike Phillips, who returns at scrumhalf, with Wales most capped player Jones forced to make do with a place on the bench despite a strong display in the win over Namibia on Monday.

Wales’ record try-scorer Shane Williams was not considered for the game because of a thigh problem so George North and Leigh Halfpenny start on the flanks. Lee Byrne will join them in the back three, with fullback James Hook still nursing a shoulder injury.

“Shane might have been available to us if we had pushed him, but he has taken a limited part in training this week and we are happy with the back three we have been able to put on the field for this game, Gatland said.

In the frontrow, Gatland recalled hooker Huw Bennett ahead of Lloyd Burns and prop Adam Jones in place of Craig Mitchell.

WALES: L Byrne; G North, Scott Williams, J Roberts, L Halfpenny; R Priestland, M Phillips; G Jenkins, H Bennett, A Jones, B Davies, L Charteris, R Jones, S Warburton (capt), T Faletau. Replacements: L Burns, P James, A-W Jones, A Powell, L Williams, S Jones, J Davies.