Jones to captain Wales against Samoa as Warburton is dropped

Ryan Jones will captain Wales for a record 29th times against Samoa on Friday with Sam Warburton dropped to the bench.
Jones is one of eight changes made by Rob Howley following their poor showing against Argentina last week.
The Ospreys flanker comes in at blindside for the injured Josh Turnbull while his teammate get Justin Tipuric is rewarded for his superb start of the season and gets the nod over Warburton at openside.
Bradley Davies replaces the injured Alun Wyn Jones at lock with Richard Hibbard and Paul James coming in for Matthew Rees and Gethin Jenkins at hooker and loosehead respectively.
In the back line, Dan Biggar and Mike Phillips will form a new half-back pairing replacing Rhys Priestland and Tavis Knoyle.
Ashley Beck is also given a chance in the midfield where he will partner Jamie Roberts who overcame an injury scare with Scott Williams relegated to the replacements.
Howley  said: “With a short six day turnaround it was important for us to freshen things up and also make use of the competition for places we have within this squad, something which has been a key ingredient for the success of the squad over the last 18 months.
“In making changes we also needed to bring in some genuine experience. It is important to have leaders throughout the team and we are hoping the likes of Mike Phillips, who made a positive impact last week, can bring his experience to the side.
“Ryan reaches an impressive personal milestone, it will be a huge honour for him but in the context of what happened last week his and the team’s priorities are about producing a performance. We know we are under pressure to perform and that pressure is greatest from within.
“This squad has shown in the past that we have the character and resilience to get back to winning ways. We have every confidence that we will come back strongly on Friday night.”

Meanwhile, Kahn Fotuali’i will come face to face with some of his Ospreys team-mates after being at scrum-half for Samoa.
Fotuali’i is one of seven British-based players to be named in the XV that will run out at the Millennium Stadium. The starting team also includes Harlequins flanker Maurie Fa’asavalu, Northampton‘s George Pisi and Worcester flyer David Lemi, who will captain the team.
The team sees six changes from the one that overcame Canada 42-12 last Friday with Fotuali’i starting in place of Jeremy Su’a and Fa’asavalu replacing Tivani Foma’i at blindside.
Paul Williams starts in the midfield while Robert Lilomaiava, who scored four tries against Canada, is dropped to the bench in favour of Lemi.
Wales: Halfpenny; Cuthbert, Beck, Roberts, North; Biggar, Phillips; James, Hibbard, Jarvis; Davies, Evans; Jones (capt.), Tipuric, Faletau.
Replacements: Owens, Jenkins, Andrews, Charteris, Warburton, Knoyle, Priestland, Williams.
Samoa: Autagavaia; Perez, G. Pisi, Williams, Lemi (capt.); T. Pisi, Fotuali’i; Taulafo, Avei, Johnston; Leo, Paulo; Treviranus, Fa’asavalu, Tui’fua.
Replacements: Paulo, Afatia, J. Johnston, Fomai, Su’a, Leota, Lilomaiava.