Hook and Henson will swap their Ospreys shirts for Wales red

"All the fans will notice that Gavin is back," Davies said.

"His partnership with James Hook and Sonny Parker at the Ospreys has been going well of late, which is the main reason for going with that combination.

"We've had our hand forced a little in the backs with injuries, but the result is a pretty exciting new look."

Injuries to both Lee Byrne and Jamie Robinson ruled them out of contention for the match at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

That has seen Llanelli Scarlets full-back Morgan Stoddart, 23, handed his international debut.

This Wales team is good enough to do something special on Saturday Wales caretaker coach Nigel Davies

"Morgan has been in a rich vein of form of late and if he can retain his composure in what will surely be a cauldron atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium and allow his talent to show through, then he could make quite a debut," Davies said.

"We will rely on the experience which Dwayne Peel brings to the side at scrum-half, Tom Shanklin [selected on the wing] remains a threat wherever you play him and Mark Jones is another who has been playing well."

Hook is preferred to Stephen Jones at fly-half, but Davies was happy to have so much experience in reserve.

"We also have a strong bench with both Mike Phillips and Stephen Jones able to come on and make an impact and maybe change the way we are playing if necessary," Davies said.

"Tom James offers us a great deal of pace if we need to call upon it and Alix Popham personifies the word 'impact' for those who know him.

"We are facing the current world champions and it's obviously a tough prospect.

"But we are playing at home and we have a magnificent opportunity to make a statement that will reverberate around world rugby, this Wales team is good enough to do something special on Saturday."