Kevin Morgan will return to the Welsh line-up for the first time since March this year when he lines up in Wales’ opening game in the World Cup against Canada in Melbourne on Sunday (kick-off 9.00 am BST).
The Warriors full back has missed the last eight Tests through injury and has only played 120 minutes of rugby since that game against the Scots in the Six Nations.
But Wales coach Steve Hansen has handed the 26-year-old the No 15 jersey ahead of Rhys Williams in a back division that also features his Warriors team mates Gareth Thomas on the wing, Sonny Parker at centre and Ceri Sweeney and Gareth Cooper at half-back.
Having missed out on the 1999 World Cup through an earlier knee injury, Morgan is delighted to finally get his chance to play in the global tournament.
“When the injury happened at Murrayfield I thought the World Cup was out for me. It was only after I had the operation that it became a possibility,” admitted Morgan.
“Dave Pemberton, the surgeon, did a great job and the Wales physio, Mark Davies, has done some marvellous work in getting me fully fit again. It was a big injury to get over, but it is behind me now.
“I managed to get a game and a half in before we came to Australia and I’m really looking forward to playing in the tournament. I hope I can make a mark on the harder grounds.
“This is a big match for us, a must win game. It will set a precedent for the rest of the games in our pool.
“It is important to get off to a winning start and we know it’s going to be a very tough game. We’ve lost to Canada before and we had a close match with them last year at the Millennium Stadium.”
Sweeney gets the nod ahead of the more experienced Stephen Jones at No 10, while Harris, who earlier this week confirmed he is happy to see out the remaining 18 months of his rugby union contract in Wales, is picked at inside centre.
Wales beat Canada 33-21 at the Millennium Stadium last November and are expecting a tough opener in a game that the Canucks are describing as their “World Cup final”.
Up front, Hansen has given Aussie convert Brent Cockbain a chance to cement his place in the side with a place alongside the highly experienced Gareth Llewellyn in the second row.
Colin Charvis will skipper the side from No 8 with Dafydd Jones and Martyn Williams packing down alongside him.
Canada will be led by Al Charron, the man who scored the try when the Canucks notched their only victory to date over Wales at the old Arms Park in 1993. He has recovered from knee reconstruction surgery to line-up to win his 74th cap and make his 10th appearance at the World Cup finals.
Also included in the side are Gwent Dragons prop Rod Snow, former Bridgend prop Jon Thiel, former Cardiff outside half Bobby Ross and Welsh-qualified scrum half Morgan Williams, who plays for Saracens.
Wales: Kevin Morgan (Warriors); Gareth Thomas (Warriors), Sonny Parker (Warriors), Iestyn Harris (Blues), Mark Jones (Scarlets); Ceri Sweeney (Warriors), Gareth Cooper (Warriors); Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Robin McBryde (Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Warriors), Brent Cockbain (Warriors), Gareth Llewellyn (Ospreys), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Colin Charvis (Unattached, captain).
Replacements: Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Rob Sidoli (Warriors), Jon Thomas (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets), Mark Taylor (Scarlets), Rhys Williams (Cardiff Blues).
Canada: James Pritchard (Randwick); David Lougheed (UBC Old Boy Ravens), John Cannon (Rotherham), Marco di Girolamo (James Bay), Winston Stanley (Leeds Tykes); Bobby Ross (James Bay), Morgan Williams (Saracens); Rod Snow (Gwent Dragons), Mark Wilson (Uni of Victoria), Jon Thiel (Bayside), Mike James (Stade Francais), Colin Yukes (Univ of Victoria), Al Charron (Ottawa Irish, captain), Josh Jackson (Pacific Pride), Adam van Staveren (Bayside).
Replacements: Aaron Abrams (Pacific Pride), Kevin Tkachuk (Oxford Uni), Garth Cooke (Castaway Wanderers), Jamie Cudmore (Capilano), Ryan Banks (Burnaby Lake), Ed Fairhurst (Uni of Victoria), Ryan Smith (Pacific Pride).
Referee: Chris White (England).
