ROBIN McBryde has urged Dan Biggar to prove a point to the British and Irish Lions selectors against Japan this weekend.
The Six Nations-winning fly-half was again overlooked by Warren Gatland, who instead called up England's Billy Twelvetrees to provide backline cover for the injury-hit Lions in Australia.
Now tour coach McBryde has backed 23-year-old Biggar to use the blow as motivation as a second-string Wales go in search of a 2-0 series win over the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo tomorrow.
Selection
McBryde said: "The initial Lions selection suggested they left enough room to invite one or two more as there are always injuries.
"But all Dan can do is prove a point on Saturday and hopefully we, as a team, will benefit from that.
"We've asked him to put his stamp on this game. We've given him a licence to step up, take on his role as a leader within the team and play things as he sees it."
McBryde has also challenged his players to finish the season with victory having made five changes, including one positional, following an unconvincing 22-18 win in Osaka last week.
He said: "It would be a setback to lose.
"We came here as a young group of players and coaches and everyone has stepped up, considering how many players and back-room staff have gone with the Lions.
"It is a great learning curve for us all, but we need to finish on a high with a good quality performance, otherwise there will be too much unsaid from our point of view.
"We need to get our own house in order, start the game better and be more accurate.
"I believe we'll do that because we've learned lessons and the players have addressed them this week.
"The intention of this tour was to identify team leaders, ask them to step up and take on extra responsibility and they have done that this week."
McBryde has reshuffled his back row that were outperformed by the Brave Blossoms.
James King is the only survivor, though the Osprey is picked in his preferred position at blindside flanker.
Uncapped 22-year-old openside Blues flanker Josh Navidi is handed his debut, while regional team-mate Andries Pretorius starts for the first time after impressing off the bench.
Scarlets skipper Rob McCusker drops out of the match-day squad, while Andrew Coombs is relegated to the bench, with McBryde preferring to continue with Lou Reed alongside skipper Bradley Davies in the second row.
When asked about Navidi, McBryde said: "I don't regret not having Josh involved last week, but you learn from any decision you make.
"The contact area is a shared responsibility and as a back-row unit we were not as combative as we wanted, but this could be a more well-balanced back-row.
"Josh has been around the squad for some time and deserves this chance, while James King was outstanding last week.
"We feel we need more leadership at No. 8 and Andries will give us that."
Saracens prop Rhys Gill wins only his fourth cap in four years, while wing Tom Prydie plays for the first time since shortly after he became the youngest Wales international aged just 18 years and 25 days when he was capped against Italy in 2010.
He starts opposite Japan's fit-again captain Toshiaki Hirose, the only change to the side edged out by Wales in Osaka.
Head coach Eddie Jones said: "We were in a position to win the last game but we weren't quite good enough, but the great thing about playing two Tests is that you get another chance.
"We have to keep taking Japanese rugby forward.
"To do that we need to be the Asian version of Wales by working harder than anyone else."
Wales: Liam Williams; H. Robinson, O. Williams, J. Spratt, T. Prydie; D. Biggar, Lloyd Williams; R. Gill, E. Phillips, S. Andrews, B. Davies (capt), L. Reed, J. King, A Pretorius, J. Navidi. Reps: S. Baldwin, R. Jones, C. Mitchell, A. Coombs, D. Baker, T. Knoyle, R. Patchell, D. Howells.
