Carre given Wales start with Rees-Zammit on bench

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v Argentina

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Sunday, 9 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and live text on BBC Sport online.

Wales prop Rhys Carre returns to the starting side to face Argentina on Sunday with wing Louis Rees-Zammit and uncapped Leicester number eight Olly Cracknell named as replacements.

Saracens loose-head Carre will start an international for the first time since 2023 with the 27-year-old having been recalled to the first side named under new head coach Steve Tandy.

Bristol wing Rees-Zammit has won his fitness battle and will make his long-awaited Wales return from the bench.

The 24-year-old wing has not played Test rugby for more than two years after switching to American football.

Former Ospreys back rower Cracknell, 31, was a late addition to the autumn squad for injured Taulupe Faletau and has been thrown into the matchday 23.

Tandy described selecting his first squad as a "privilege" and has made seven changes from the victory over Japan in July that ended a record 18-match losing run.

Carre and fellow prop Keiron Assiratti, locks Adam Beard and Dafydd Jenkins, centre Max Llewellyn and British and Irish Lions duo Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams all return.

The Argentina game is the first of four November internationals, with Japan, New Zealand and South Africa to follow.

"I just want to see that squad express themselves and enjoy every moment of representing the country in such a unique and special jersey," said Tandy.

For the past two years, Carre was ineligible under the Welsh Rugby Union's (WRU) selection policy because he has 20 caps, five short of the required number for those playing for clubs outside Wales.

But there are loopholes, as demonstrated when Wales selected Jarrod Evans in the Six Nations earlier this year.

The Harlequins fly-half also has fewer than 25 caps but he was not given a reasonable offer to remain with former club Cardiff when his contract expired.

It seems the same applies to Carre, who left Cardiff last year to join Saracens for a second time.

Carre would have become available for rival home nations in 2026 because it will have been three years since he previously played for Wales.

Tandy says that situation did not contribute to his decision to recall the prop and he has placed his faith in Carre ahead of Nicky Smith, who is named on the bench.

Carre packs down in the front row alongside Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake and Cardiff prop Assiratti.

Locks Beard and Jenkins return in the second row after missing the summer tour of Japan.

After helping the Lions to a series win against Australia, Wales captain Morgan comes into the back row alongside Cardiff flanker Alex Mann and Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright.

Cracknell and Smith are joined on the replacements bench by Freddie Thomas, Liam Belcher and Archie Griffin.

Rees-Zammit is back in a Wales matchday squad for the first time since the World Cup quarter-final defeat by Sunday's opponents Argentina in October 2023.

The wing had spells on the practice squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars, but did not play a competitive game in the NFL and returned to rugby union in August when signing for Bristol.

He has not played since damaging a toe against Saracens on 4 October but Tandy previously said Wales were getting back a "special athlete and a special mindset".

Rees-Zammit is named on the bench while Scarlets duo Blair Murray and Tom Rogers, along with Cardiff wing Josh Adams, form the starting back three.

Gloucester centre Llewellyn rekindles his 2025 Six Nations midfield partnership with Cardiff's Ben Thomas after missing the summer tour through injury.

At half-back, Edwards keeps his place as number 10 and partners Lions scrum-half Williams, while Evans and Kieran Hardy are named as fly-half replacements.

Wales: Murray; Rogers, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Adams; Edwards, T Williams; Carre, Lake, Assiratti, D Jenkins, Beard, Mann, Morgan (capt), Wainwright.

Replacements: Belcher, Smith, Griffin, F Thomas, Cracknell, Hardy, J Evans, Rees-Zammit.