Flanker Alex Callender will win her 50th cap for Wales in Saturday's WXV Global Series game against Japan - while sisters Nel and Branwen Metcalfe will start their first Test together.
Head coach Sean Lynn has made three personnel changes to the starting line-up from September's narrow defeat by USA at Cardiff Arms Park.
Nel Metcalfe returns from injury on the wing, Seren Lockwood is back at scrum-half and Jorja Aiono gets the nod at lock.
There are two positional changes with Carys Cox switching to centre and Keira Bevan starting at fly-half.
Callender, co-captain with fellow back-row forward Amy Williams, will lead Wales out in Tokyo (10:30 BST) when bringing up her half-century of caps.
Callender won her first cap in 2019 and hits 50 after returning impressively from injuries suffered before, during and after the 2025 World Cup.
The 26-year-old made a comeback in June's uncapped fixture against the Barbarians, was named as player of the match against South Africa and scored against USA.
"Whenever you talk about a Welsh person everything is about calon and passion - that's her in abundance," said Lynn.
"Whenever she puts that jersey on she wears it with pride and wants to represent the nation. She galvanises this group incredibly, on the pitch and off it."
Callender is a combative flanker but Lynn is quick to point out her deft touches.
"Everybody has always seen Alex as a very passionate individual with phenomenal tackling and breakdown work," said the head coach.
"But she has grown her game and is a really good operator in the line-out and the attack.
"We've been trying to play her as a forward on the edges and she is excelling after working hard on her handling ability over pre-season.
"We're looking to play an expansive game and having a back-row forward who is just like another back brings another dimension."
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Bevan back at 10
Bevan returns to pulling the strings from fly-half after an encouraging performance alongside Lockwood was ended when the scrum-half suffered a head injury against South Africa.
The score was already 26-5 when the 19-year-old went off, which prompted the introduction of outside half Lleucu George.
"They were super exciting in the first 30 minutes in South Africa game," said Lynn.
"Keira just wants the ball in her hands, she wants to move the ball and her maturity with the kicking game is developing.
"Her performance against USA as a scrum-half was very good as well but we saw the damage that Seren can do against South Africa, and also in the Barbarians fixture when she stood out."
Nel makes it a Metcalfe double
The Metcalfe sisters played for Wales together for the first time when lock Branwen came off the bench for her first cap against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.
They started the uncapped fixture against the Baa-Baas but join forces in the XV for the first time at Test level against Japan.
Branwen, 20, starts her sixth successive Test and has a new second-row partner in fellow bright prospect Aiono.
Nel, 21, returns on the wing rather than full-back for her first cap since the World Cup after a knee injury that forced her to sit out the Six Nations.
"She was a shining light at the World Cup, which was tough for us," said Lynn.
"Every time that she gets the ball, something will happen. She has got fitter, stronger and faster, and she's excited to go out there on Saturday."
Wales are 11th in World Rugby's rankings, a spot above Japan.
Last month the Sakura Fifteen lost 55-21 to Italy and were beaten twice by Ireland, 31-24 in the WXV Global Series and 43-19 in an extra Test.
"Japan ran Ireland close in the first Test and they are very efficient in what they do, very regimented," said Lynn, who opts for six forwards on his bench.
"They've got a very good maul and we are not going to be taking them lightly at all."
How Wales line up vs Japan
Neumann; N Metcalfe, Cox, Bell, A Williams; Bevan, Lockwood; M Davies, K Jones, Tuipulotu, B Metcalfe, Aiono, K Williams (co-capt), Callender (co-capt), King.
Replacements: Reardon, Pyrs, E Jones, Crabb, G Evans, B Lewis, George, Keight.