Blair Murray Set for Wales Debut Against Fiji

Blair Murray, one of eight Scarlets players selected for Wales’ autumn squad, is scheduled to debut. The Autumn Nations Series match between Wales and Fiji will take place at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, 10 November, with a kick-off time of 13:40 GMT. Coverage will be available via live commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, and BBC Sounds, as well as live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Scarlets wing Blair Murray is set to make his first appearance for Wales, having been included in Warren Gatland’s team for the Autumn Nations Series opener against Fiji in Cardiff this Sunday. Murray, aged 23, was born and raised in New Zealand; however, he is eligible to play for Wales due to his mother’s origins in Tonyrefail. Centre Max Llewellyn is slated to earn his third cap and make his second start. His Gloucester clubmates, Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe, are back in the squad as Wales’ half-backs. Anscombe has been assigned the fly-half position, enabling centre Ben Thomas to form a partnership with Llewellyn in the Welsh midfield. Locks Will Rowlands and Adam Beard are returning to the team, though flanker Jac Morgan has been listed among the replacements, a bench comprising six forwards. Murray developed his skills through the Crusaders academy in New Zealand and competed for Canterbury in their domestic league prior to his move to Wales. He joined Scarlets this summer and, despite having played only six matches for his new club, he made a strong impression on Gatland, leading to his selection as one of only two uncapped players in the 35-man squad, alongside Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas. Gatland commented, “He’s been playing well for the Scarlets but hasn’t had a lot of games. Coming through the New Zealand system in terms of their pathway, we were excited when he decided to commit to Wales. What he does give us that we haven’t had in a while is a left-footed option, so it allows us to mix it up a bit. We have been pleased with the way he’s been playing, his footwork and he’s been scoring some nice tries.” Murray’s parents are expected to travel from New Zealand to attend the match. Gatland added, “Someone said today he’s had 29 requests for tickets so he’s got family and friends coming to support him. It’s always great to see that, particularly someone on his first cap.” Murray, chosen over Rio Dyer and Tom Rogers, will feature in the back three alongside full-back Cameron Winnett and Mason Grady, with Grady moving to the wing from his summer position of inside centre. This marks the first occasion Dyer has not started a Test match since the World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina in October 2023. Anscombe, 33, is slated to play his inaugural Test match in over a year, having been sidelined last season due to a groin injury. Thomas played at fly-half during the two losing Tests in Australia but will revert to his preferred inside centre position as Wales experiments with another centre pairing. This will be Thomas’s initial international start wearing the Wales number 12 jersey. Bath prop Archie Griffin has been included in the squad despite a diagnosis of pericarditis, a minor heart condition. This condition involves inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart but is not considered permanent. Griffin, 23, had entered Bath’s first Premiership game against Northampton on 20 September as a replacement, subsequently experiencing discomfort. He was absent for several weeks but successfully recovered his fitness, appearing as a replacement for Bath in their Premiership Cup win against Ampthill last weekend. With Rowlands and Beard rejoining the team, Exeter lock Christ Tshiunza will move to the replacements bench. Meanwhile, Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright has demonstrated his fitness following a hamstring injury sustained against Australia in Sydney in July. Wainwright is set to play in the back row alongside flankers Taine Plumtree and Tommy Reffell, with Morgan listed as a replacement. The replacements bench features the return of seasoned front-row pair Nicky Smith and Ryan Elias among six forwards, with only two backs, half-backs Ellis Bevan and Sam Costelow, also included. The inclusion of Williams, Anscombe, Beard, Rowlands, and Wainwright brings a combined 234 caps, providing essential experience to the team that previously faced Australia. In total, Gatland has implemented seven personnel changes from the team that was defeated by the Wallabies in the second Test in Melbourne in July, in addition to three positional adjustments. Wales has experienced defeats in their last nine international matches over a 13-month period, resulting in a drop to 11th in the world rankings, placing them one spot behind Fiji. Should they suffer another loss, Wales would match their record of 10 consecutive international defeats, a record established by Steve Hansen’s team between 2002 and 2003. Fiji has implemented six personnel changes from the squad that suffered a 57-17 loss to Scotland last weekend, with prominent backs Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu, Josua Tuisova, and Semi Radradra rejoining the starting lineup. Wales will commence their autumn campaign against Fiji, followed by a match against Australia seven days later, concluding with a fixture against world champions South Africa on 23 November. Concurrently, former international match official Nigel Owens, whose Test career encompassed 17 years and a total of 210 matches, including 100 as a referee, will be part of the Wales coaching staff on matchdays for the Autumn Nations Series in an advisory capacity. The Wales team is as follows: Winnett; Grady, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Beard, Plumtree, Reffell, Wainwright. Replacements include: Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Tshiunza, Botham, J Morgan, Bevan, Costelow. Fiji’s lineup is: Karawalevu; Wainiqolo, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Muntz, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tawake, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Derenalagi, Salawa, Canakaivata. Replacements are: Matavesi, Hetet, Koroiduadua, Vocevoce, Tuisue, Kuruvoli, Ravula, Maqala.