Triple Grand Slam winner Ryan Jones will make Welsh rugby history when he replaces Sam Warburton as captain in Friday night’s Millennium Stadium clash against Samoa.

And the Ospreys flanker accepts that Wales must rediscover their winning formula as he prepares for captaincy duty in a team showing eight changes from last weekend’s dire loss to Argentina.

Warburton, current favourite to skipper the British and Irish Lions in Australia next summer, has seen 23-year-old Ospreys openside Justin Tipuric handed the Wales number seven shirt.

And Jones takes the leadership reins, put in charge for a 29th time to break the Wales record he previously held jointly with Ieuan Evans.

Warburton, Wales’ Grand Slam-winning Six Nations skipper earlier this year, is on the bench alongside four other players – Rhys Priestland, Tavis Knoyle, Gethin Jenkins and Scott Williams – who started against Argentina.

Briefs