Wales v Argentina, November 10
Wales hand Aaron Jarvis debut
ESPN Staff
November 6, 2012
Ospreys prop Aaron Jarvis watches on, Ospreys v Treviso, Heineken Cup, Liberty Stadium, Wales, January 13, 2012
Aaron Jarvis will make his debut for the Ospreys on Saturday © PA Photos
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Players/Officials: Aaron Jarvis | Tavis Knoyle | Josh Turnbull
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Teams: Argentina | Ospreys | Wales

Ospreys tight-head Aaron Jarvis will make his Wales debut when he lines up against Argentina on Saturday.

Wales' interim head coach Rob Howley has also made a shock call at scrum-half with the Scarlets' Tavis Knoyle starting ahead of British & Irish Lion Mike Phillips. Scarlets flanker Josh Turnbull gets the nod at blindside with both Dan Lydiate and Ryan Jones sidelined while Gethin Jenkins starts in the front-row alongside Matthew Rees and Jarvis. In the centres, Jonathan Davies is out injured so Scott Williams partners Jamie Roberts in the midfield.

The selection sees seven changes from Wales' last match with Williams, Roberts, Knoyle, Jarvis, second-row Ian Evans, Turnbull and No.8 Toby Faletau all getting the nod. But the major news to come out of the selection will be Phillips' omission.

He will have to be content with a spot on the bench alongside fellow France-based back James Hook with Ashley Beck omitted due to a hip problem. And at fly-half, Rhys Priestland starts with Dan Biggar not included in the 23.

Exeter-born Jarvis, who has a Welsh grandmother, has been in strong form for the Ospreys this season and he impressed the Wales coaching staff during last week's training camp in Poland. "One or two injuries have forced our hands in certain areas in terms of selection," Howley said. "But the fact that we are still able to field a side packed with Grand Slam experience shows that we have been able to develop some depth in recent years.

"There are obvious opportunities for the likes of Aaron, Tavis and Josh to pull on the jersey against Argentina and try to make it their own. We all know how important a good start against the Pumas will be to our November series. They arrive battle-hardened after a tough Rugby Championship campaign.

"They will be looking to silence the Millennium Stadium crowd from the outset and we know we can't afford to let that happen, with a successful campaign this autumn vital to our ambitions for the future."

Following the match with the Pumas, Wales face Samoa six days later and will then take on the All Blacks on November 24. They complete their four-Test schedule with a match against Australia on December 1.

Wales:

L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), G North (Scarlets); R Priestland (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets); G Jenkins (Toulon), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jarvis (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)

Replacements: R Hibbard (Ospreys), R Bevington (Ospreys), P James (Bath), R McCusker (Scarlets), J Tipuric (Ospreys), M Phillips (Bayonne), J Hook (Perpignan), L Williams (Scarlets)

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