Wales have said “same again” to the side so narrowly defeated by reigning world champions South Africa five days ago for the second round Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool D clash with Samoa at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Sunday.
Head coach Warren Gatland and his coaching team have named the same starting XV who claimed a bonus point as they went down 17-16 to the Springboks in Wellington.
One change appears on the bench with 76-times capped British & Irish Lions prop Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues) completing his return from a calf injury to be named in place of Ospreys front row forward Ryan Bevington.
“We were extremely disappointed to lose last week against the Springboks, but we did maintain momentum with aspects of the performance providing a host of positive points to take into Sunday’s match against Samoa,” said Gatland.
“We have re-grouped and the players are looking forward to getting back out on the pitch to largely pick up where they left off last weekend.
“There are one or two areas we know we need to work on but we are looking for much of the same from all involved.
“We could not fault the effort, passion and commitment of the players last week and we have simply said we are looking for the same again against Samoa on Sunday.”
Gatland will take his Wales side to his hometown of Hamilton for the first time during RWC 2011 when they line-up for their ‘Captain’s Run’ at Waikato Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
And the Hamilton-born former Waikato captain and hooker, who made 140 playing appearances for his home province and also coached them to Air New Zealand Cup success in 2006, has called on the Waikato people to get behind his current charges against the popular Samoans.
“Samoa are going to have a lot of support, as will Fiji when we come back to play them in the final game of our Pool, but we are hoping some of the Waikato people will be getting behind Wales as well.
“We played there on our summer tour of New Zealand last year and I told all of the players what to expect then and we all really enjoyed the experience and the welcome we had in Hamilton.
“It is a special atmosphere on match day, it will be very much like coming home for me and we are hoping all the locals bring their Mooloo Bells and ring them for Wales.”
WALES: James Hook; George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (captain), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Lloyd Burns, Gethin Jenkins, Bradley Davies, Andy Powell, Tavis Knoyle, Scott Williams, Leigh Halfpenny.