The 34-year-old featured in both of Ospreys’ crucial wins over Montpellier Hérault Rugby in Pool B and his experience will be vital in their Round of 16 trip to three-time champions Saracens.

Jac Morgan, another one of Ospreys’ leading lights, is recalled at flanker as Wales head coach Warren Gatland makes several changes in a bid to end a run of three successive defeats in this year’s Six Nations.

Lock Dafydd Jenkins, who started all four of Exeter Chiefs’ Heineken Champions Cup pool stage games as they set up a Round of 16 encounter with Montpellier at Sandy Park, comes in as another alteration to the starting side.

EPCR European Player of the Year nominee Justin Tipuric keeps his place at openside flanker, with several of his Ospreys teammates also continuing – prop Tomas Francis, lock Adam Beard, fly-half Owen Williams and centre Joe Hawkins.

Hooker Scott Baldwin, prop Gareth Thomas and wing George North are further Ospreys representatives among the replacements.

Two more Heineken Champions Cup stars compliment the bench; Leicester Tigers flanker Tommy Reffell and Gloucester Rugby wing Louis Rees-Zammit.

Meanwhile, Harlequins’ Tommaso Allan is at full-back for Italy, with Montpellier fly-half Paolo Garbisi and Gloucester scrum-half Stephen Varney completing a trio of Heineken Champions Cup talents among the hosts’ starting XV.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb, who was a key part of the Ospreys team that advanced from the Heineken Champions Cup pool stage, makes his first start for Wales since 2017 as they play Italy in Rome in the Six Nations on Saturday.