LYON, France (AP) — Wales restored the lineup which started the win against Fiji to face Australia on Sunday with a chance to reach the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals.
A third win from three Pool C matches would advance Wales to the last eight.
Defeat for Australia would send it closer to a pool stage exit for the first time.
Coach Warren Gatland rested most of his front-liners after Fiji was edged 32-26 for the game against Portugal, a scratchy 28-8 win.
Captain and flanker Jac Morgan, No. 8 Taulupe Faletau and wing Louis Rees-Zammit will make their third straight starts.
Wales made its only changes in the reserves, with recalls for prop Henry Thomas, who will make his Rugby World Cup debut, flanker Taine Basham and flyhalf Gareth Anscombe.
Ben Donaldson and Tate McDermott will start as Australia's halves for the first time in the must-win match.
The Wallabies made three changes and two positional moves on Friday following the 22-15 loss to Fiji last Sunday in Saint-Etienne.
Donaldson was switched from fullback to flyhalf in place of Carter Gordon, the team's only specialist 10. Gordon was yanked in the 50th minute against Fiji and Donaldson took over to finish off the Pool C match.
Donaldson's only previous test start at flyhalf was against Wales last November, which was his starting debut.
Gordon was in the reserves after starting the Wallabies' last five tests.
McDermott missed the Fiji match due to a head injury and was back at scrumhalf, bumping Nic White to the reserves.
Andrew Kellaway was at fullback for his Rugby World Cup debut and Rob Leota promoted from the bench into the back row while Fraser McReight went to the bench.
Tighthead prop James Slipper will equal George Gregan as Australia's most capped Rugby World Cup player in his 20th match.
The Wallabies have to beat Wales to stay in contention for the quarterfinals. They have never missed the quarters.
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Lineups:
Australia: Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Ben Donaldson, Tate McDermott; Rob Valetini, Tom Hooper, Rob Leota, Richard Arnold, Nick Frost, James Slipper, David Porecki (captain), Angus Bell. Reserves: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Pone Fa'amausili, Matt Philip, Fraser McReight, Nic White, Carter Gordon, Suliasi Vunivalu.
Wales: Liam Williams, Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan (captain), Aaron Wainwright, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Tomas Francis, Ryan Elias, Gareth Thomas. Reserves: Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Henry Thomas, Dafydd Jenkins, Taine Basham, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer.
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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
