Dwayne Peel will skipper Wales for the first time in their opening World Cup game against Canada in Nantes on Sunday.

The scrum half leads the side in the absence of Gareth Thomas, who is dropped to the bench, where he joins fit-again fly-half Stephen Jones.

Sonny Parker comes in to inside centre for Thomas, while Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins replace Duncan Jones and Chris Horsman in the front row making three changes from the final warm-up against France.

"Gareth put in three royal performances for us during August, but this is the first time Sonny Parker has been available to us to start a game so we are giving him a chance in the centre," said coach Gareth Jenkins.

"We have been saying for some time that we will use more than one captain during this tournament and Dwayne was always one of three players who will potentially captain the side at this World Cup alongside Gareth and Stephen. He is one of our identified leaders, a core member of the squad and the very definition of a professional rugby player.

"He will cope admirably with the responsibility of captaining his country. He follows in the footsteps of some great players and we know will do justice to the honour that has been bestowed upon him.

"Canada will be tough first-up opponents for us, but we must concentrate on refining our own game and it is time now for everything to begin to click in to place," added Jenkins.

Wales team:

15-Kevin Morgan, 14-Mark Jones, 13-Tom Shanklin, 12-Sonny Parker, 11-Shane Williams, 10-James Hook, 9-Dwayne Peel, 1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Matthew Rees, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Ian Gough, 5-Alun-Wyn Jones, 6-Jonathan Thomas, 7-Martyn Williams, 8-Alix Popham

Replacements: 16-T Rhys Thomas, 17-Duncan Jones, 18-Michael Owen, 19-Colin Charvis, 20-Michael Phillips, 21-Stephen Jones, 22-Gareth Thomas.

Alex Chick / Eurosport