Next 15. Matthew Morgan Many had predicted that either Gareth Anscombe or James Hook would start at full-back when Liam Williams was ruled out with concussion but it is the man known as ‘Nipper’ who has been chosen by Gatland. An old-fashioned flair player with a deadly step and an inclination to play heads-up rugby, he could easily cause havoc if Fiji kick loose on Thursday. While not the biggest standing at 5ft 8in and weighing 11st 7lb, the diminutive Bristol playmaker should cope with Fiji unlikely to offer much of an aerial barrage.

Previous Next 14. Alex Cuthbert A player severely out of form, the Cardiff Blues winger must be wondering when things are going to go his way. Cutting a frustrated figure on the touch-line, he has found himself slipping behind full-back Liam Williams and Hallam Amos in the pecking order for his position in the last year. Only injures to the pair have seen him recalled to the side for this Thursday’s match and Cuthbert will be desperate to find some remnants of his old form.

Previous Next 13. Tyler Morgan The third and final change to Gatland’s side, Dragons youngster Tyler Morgan will aim to fill the boots of Scott Williams, who had impressed before his tournament-ending injury. Having narrowly missed out on inclusion for the squad to Cory Allen, he was then called up following an injury to Allen in the first game against Uruguay. Definitely one for the future, Morgan is a natural outside centre who will have the experience of Jamie Roberts inside him as he wins just his second cap.

Previous Next 12. Jamie Roberts One of the key players for Wales, Jamie Roberts will be under no illusions what his task will be come Thursday. Get the ball over the gain line. Nothing more. Nothing less. And when he does that, Wales invariably win. And having been shackled fairly well by rugby league convert Sam Burgess at Twickenham, Roberts will be chomping at the bit to punch holes in the Fiji midfield.

Previous Next 11. George North There had been talk of the giant wing moving to the centre to quell injury troubles but it is stalking the touch line where George North is most needed. One of two specialist wings in the squad, North will be aiming to have more of an impact following a quiet game against England. On his day the Northampton winger is world-class and will be looking for a performance of that calibre to kick-start his World Cup.

Previous Next 10. Dan Biggar Saturday was the night when Dan Biggar announced himself to the world as one of the best fly-halves in world rugby right now. With deadly kicking accuracy and an all-round game, the Fijians will be wary of a man right on the top of his game. The Ospreys pivot will be crucial as Wales will look to keep it tight against the Fijian and bully past them in the forwards. Expect more precise goal-kicking and composed leadership from the half-back.

Previous Next 9. Gareth Davies Fresh from scoring one of the most famous tries in Welsh history, Gareth Davies will look to kick on his international career as he continues to fill the position in the absence of Rhys Webb. And there was something distinctly similar to Webb in the way he scored on Saturday. A clever support line followed by a calm finish had been a trademark for Webb before his injury and the Scarlets scrum-half is certainly capable of doing the same. With Wales likely to attack with the driving maul, his sniping and eye for the whitewash could see him pinch a try at some point on Thursday.

Previous Next 1. Gethin Jenkins Having been targeted at Twickenham, Gethin Jenkins will be aiming to avoid another struggle in the scrum against Fiji. The 34-year-old will be determined to prove doubters wrong after referee Jerome Garces took a disliking to him last Saturday. Whether he fixes his problems at scrum-time remains to be seen but as is always the case with Jenkins, he will definitely be a threat in the loose.

Previous Next 2. Scott Baldwin Having slightly struggled with his throwing against England, the Osprey hooker will know he will need to do much better against Fiji. Arguably the most important player in this particular match, Wales will have identified the driving maul as a source of points against their Group A rivals and Baldwin will be key to this gameplan. While he did not have the best game on Saturday, he has excelled in big games over the last year, such as the victory over South Africa last Autumn, and you would expect him to come through this test well.

Previous Next 3. Tomas Francis Gatland has resisted the urge to bring in Samson Lee and decided not to change a winning pack. Francis was affected by the troubles his front-row colleagues were having against England and should be able to represent himself far better against the Fiji scrum. Currently sitting on a 100 per cent win rate with Wales, albeit only three games, Francis will not be looking to tarnish that record any time soon.

Previous Next 4. Bradley Davies The Wasps lock was Wales’ go-to man at the lineout on Saturday and carried the ball well before being forced off by a knock. Fit enough to start on Thursday however, Gatland will need another big performance from Davies as Wales look to attempt to exploit Fiji at lineout time. Will need to secure safe lineout ball if Wales are to challenge with the maul.

Previous Next 5. Alun Wyn Jones The Ospreys second row had a quiet game on Saturday by his standards but expect him to remedy that on Thursday. An inspirational leader, Jones will know the importance of getting the basics right against Fiji and will look to do just that. His mandate will be the same as his partner in the second row. Win lineout ball to initiate the rolling maul. Not a lot of frills with this workhorse, but a world-class lock nonetheless.

Previous Next 6. Dan Lydiate 50 not out for the blindside flanker – an achievement made all the more incredible given how he threw himself into tackles on Saturday. His chop tackling was vital against England and he will look to do the same at the Millennium Stadium as the Welsh back row look to exploit the Fijians for breakdown penalties. In last year’s match against Fiji, Lydiate was harshly denied his first try for Wales from the back of a maul. With Wales expected to use similar means again, it may well be a case of second time lucky for the 2012 Six Nations player of the tournament.

Previous Next 7. Sam Warburton The captain is chosen to start his third straight match at this tournament – an interesting choice given his past injury concerns – but, touch wood, it has smooth sailing for the Blues openside so far. Having to deal with the competition of an in-form Justin Tipuric, Warburton will be looking to continue his side’s momentum following the historic victory over England at HQ. Having been forced into a lot of rearguard action on Saturday, Warburton will be hoping to have more of an impact at the breakdown this time around.

Previous Next 8. Taulupe Faletau Many had been concerned about the form of the Dragons No. 8 coming into this tournament – many believe his level has significantly dropped since he burst onto the test scene at the last World Cup four years ago. But against England, Faletau answered all those critics. The pick of the Welsh forwards, the eight formally known as Toby was everywhere as his ball-carrying and work ethic ensured he outshone his flashier cousin, Billy Vunipola. Similar to Jamie Roberts, if Wales can get Faletau going forward in his 50th match for them, then they are on the right path to victory.