DAN Lydiate is set to return to the Welsh starting line-up for the World Cup opener against Uruguay in Cardiff on Sunday (2.30).

The Abbey-cwm-hir raised flanker will be cheered on by family and friends in his hometown of Llandrindod Wells where he attended high school and began his road to stardom which has taken in spells at Newport Dragons, Racing Metro and now the Ospreys..

Lydiate missed Wales’ final friendly ahead of the Pool A opener, a 23-19 win over Italy at the newly christened Principality Stadium, formerly the Millennium, on Saturday.

Wales hoped of World Cup glory have been rocked by injuries with Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny ruled out while doubts remain over the fitness of lock Alun Wyn Jones, back Liam Williams and prop Samson Lee.

Lydiate suffered a facial injury against the Irish in a friendly match last month but coach Warren Gatland identified the blindside flanker as a senior member of his squad these days.

The New Zealander has long been an admirer of the Powys star who, along with captain Sam Warburton along with Jamie Roberts and Gethin Jenkins will provide the bulk of experience.

However the absence of key players have seen Welsh hopes of World Cup glory dismissed by pundits and the media.

Despite mourning the loss of both Webb and Halfpenny the coach insisted he had faith in the rest of the squad and would not be dwelling on the loss of two potential match winners.

“I would like us to be written off as much as possible,” said Gatland. “ That’s always the best situation for a Wales team to be in. Sometimes those things galvanise us and make us stronger as a unit.

“It’s all about making sure we have a good performance against Uruguay and concentrate on that and then really focus on England, which is massive for us. It’s all about one game at a time.

“You need a bit of luck to get through the pool stages. Everyone has an opportunity. We found that in 2011 getting through pool stages and the quarter final and we know how close we came to reaching the final.

“I think there are seven or eight teams who will fancy themselves if they get through to the quarter finals and as shown in the Autumn internationals all are capable of playing expansive rugby.”