Wales hit with crucial injury blow ahead of make-or-break Springboks clash for Warren Gatland
Adam Beard will play no part in Wales' clash with South Africa this weekend.
Wales will be without star lock Adam Beard for their crucial clash with South Africa this weekend, as they look to avoid an unwanted first of losing every match in a calendar year.
Beard came off after just seven minutes in the heavy 52-20 defeat to Australia on Sunday, and it has now been confirmed he will return to his club after suffering a knee injury.
After the game, he was spotted on crutches and in a heavy knee brace too.
Beard ruled out of crucial Springboks clash
This autumn hasn’t been plain sailing by any means for Wales, and Beard is the latest in a long line of injury blows.
Red-hot scrum-half Tomos Williams sustained a rib injury in a clumsy collision with Taine Plumtree in their opening defeat to Fiji, and missed the clash with Australia last weekend and is also out of action this weekend too.
Elsewhere, Mason Grady picked up a leg injury early in the game with Fiji too, and will also be on the sidelines again for the Springboks clash.
Warren Gatland addresses future in Wales hot-seat as pressure mounts after 11 straight losses
At this current time, Beard has not been replaced in the Welsh squad, meaning Exeter Chiefs man Christ Tshiunza will likely come straight into the starting XV for the injured Osprey.
Beard only returned to the Wales squad this autumn after missing the summer tour to Australia through injury.
Wales looking to ‘bounce back’ v Springboks
Warren Gatland’s side have a mountain to climb if they want to secure their first win of 2024, and now head into the game without the 57 cap lock, but speaking to the media, captain Dewi Lake said they have an “opportunity” to “bounce back” this weekend against the Boks.
“Professional sport is about bouncing back,” he said. “We’ve got an opportunity to face the world champions next weekend, so we’re going to go out and take it.”
Springboks: Ox Nche update ahead of Wales after ‘deep cut injury’ against England
He added: “Of course we don’t want to be in the history books for all the wrong reasons, but we can turn this around. I’m fully confident in this group of players.
“It’s disappointing that we’re on this losing run, but this group is good enough to go places and we will.”
Wales have already faced the Springboks once in 2024, but fell to an emphatic 41-13 defeat at Twickenham; so they will be hoping for a different result this time around.
A defeat would also certainly spell the end of head coach Gatland’s second spell in charge of the national side, with pressure mounting on the New Zealander after a run of 11-straight losses.
Wales squad to face South Africa
Forwards: Keiron Assiratti, James Botham, Ryan Elias, Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake, Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Will Rowlands, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Freddie Thomas, Christ Tshiunza, Taine Plumtree, Teddy Williams, Aaron Wainwright
Backs: Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Bevan, Sam Costelow, Rio Dyer, Josh Hathaway, Kieran Hardy, Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, Ben Thomas, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin, Rhodri Williams, Cameron Winnett
READ NEXT: What if Wales sack Warren Gatland? 16 possible options to replace legendary head coach
