Rugby union recruit Regan Grace to start against Queensland

Regan Grace will start for Wales in his third rugby union match when Warren Gatland’s side take on the Queensland Reds on Friday.

In Wales’ final match of Australia’s tour in Brisbane – an uncapped match – Grace, 27, is selected among 10 changes after the second of two Test defeats against the Wallabies.

Grace, who scored 89 tries for St Helens during a rugby league career that saw him play in three Grand Final-winning teams, is contracted to Bath until the end of next season.

He switched codes in 2022 but ruptured his Achilles tendon before joining French Top 14 club Racing 92 and did not feature at all for them after suffering a relapse of injury six months later.

Grace then joined Bath to continue his rehabilitation and he played friendlies earlier this year against Leinster and Gloucester as he returned to full fitness.

He was called into the Wales training squad just before they left for Australia, and now has a chance to impress as Gatland’s side target a first win since beating the Barbarians in early November.

“We said we wanted the players who came here on tour to be involved, whether that’s as starters or in the 23 (on matchday),” Wales coach Gatland said.

“It was planned all along. Unfortunately, we have a few players missing through injury, but this game against the Queensland Reds gives a number of others the opportunity to step up and put in a good performance.

“I’m pleased with the growth we’ve seen in the team over the last three or four weeks, and that growth will continue.

“We expect a good challenge from the Reds on Friday and know they will be ready for this game.

“I hope that we stay in the moment and continue to look for opportunities, while remaining alert to threats. It’s the small efforts that will make a difference.”

Linebacker Cory Hill captains a side that sees just five players – Cameron Winnett, Rio Dyer, Archie Griffin, Christ Tshiunza and Taine Plumtree – retained from the team that started Saturday’s 36-28 second test defeat in Melbourne.

Tshiunza moves from second row to full-back, while Plumtree wears the number seven. This will be Plumtree’s third start in three different positions on the circuit.

Elsewhere, there are opportunities for the likes of Scarlets centre Eddie James, hooker Evan Lloyd and fellow Cardiff forward Mackenzie Martin, who occupies the number eight position.

Wales have lost nine consecutive Tests – their second-worst run in 143 years of international rugby – and Friday’s match is their final game before hosting Fiji on November 10.

Team: C Winnett (Cardiff); R Dyer (Dragons), N Tompkins (Saracens), E James (Scarlets), R Grace (Bath); S Costelow (Scarlets), G Davies (Scarlets); K Mathias (Scarlets), E Lloyd (Cardiff), A Griffin (Bath), M Screech (Dragons), C Hill (Secom Ruguts, captain), C Tshiunza (Exeter), T Plumtree (Scarlets), M Martin (Cardiff) .

Subs: E Daniel (Cardiff), C Domachowski (Cardiff), H O’Connor (Scarlets), D Jenkins (Exeter), T Reffell (Leicester), K Hardy (Ospreys), B Thomas (Cardiff), M Grady (Cardiff ).