Wales team v Springboks: Steve Tandy forced into mass changes as severely weakened hosts handed imposing task against world champions
Wales head coach Steve Tandy and wing Louis Rees-Zammit, who will miss the Springboks clash.
Wales have made 10 changes to their XV – eight personnel and two positional – for their clash with the world champion Springboks at the Principality Stadium.
With the match falling outside the Test window, Steve Tandy cannot include any of his foreign-based players for the encounter.
That means Rhys Carre, Archie Griffin, Adam Beard, Dafydd Jenkins, Freddie Thomas, Tomos Williams, Jarrod Evans, Nick Tompkins, Max Llewellyn and Louis Rees-Zammit have all gone back to their clubs.
Nicky Smith and Olly Cracknell, who missed the All Blacks Test, can also not be called upon, making Wales’ task even harder this weekend.
They have received another blow with hat-trick hero from last weekend, Tom Rogers, also out of the game through injury.
Survivors from New Zealand loss
Blair Murray, Joe Hawkins, Dan Edwards, Alex Mann, Taine Plumtree, Keiron Assiratti and Dewi Lake remain from the New Zealand loss, but Mann and Plumtree shift around in the back-row for the Springboks game.
The former moves from blindside to openside with the latter at six, which allows Aaron Wainwright, who was a late withdrawal on Saturday, to start at number eight.
Rhys Davies and Ben Carter form a new lock pairing, but Gareth Thomas is the only new face in the starting front-row.
Behind the scrum, Rio Dyer steps into Rogers’ shoes while Ellis Mee fills the slot vacated by Rees-Zammit with Murray completing the back three.
Hawkins’ new partner in midfield is Joe Roberts while Kieran Hardy comes in alongside Dan Edwards to form the half-back pairing.
Despite the power the Springboks will bring this weekend, Wales have opted for a 5-3 split as Brodie Coghlan, possible debutant Danny Southworth, Christian Coleman, James Ratti and Morgan Morse cover the forwards.
Reuben Morgan-Williams, Callum Sheedy and Ben Thomas are the backline replacements as they prepare to take on the imposing Boks.
“What we want to see from the boys [on Saturday] is the same type of effort and performance as we did last weekend,” head coach Tandy said.
“I think we showed a lot of attacking intent, a lot of toughness in the way we went about lots of the defensive effort as well, to give the supporters something to shout about.
“The fans on the weekend were electric. I think the boys really responded to how good the support was.
“When you see the charge, in and around when we score, but also when we’re going deep into the defensive set, when they’re chanting ‘Wales’, it’s just something that’s unbelievable and I’d like to thank them for all the support they’ve given the boys.
“We’re going into the last game, which we’re all excited about. The players love the fact of playing at Principality Stadium in front of the best support in the world.”
Wales side to face the Springboks
Wales:15 Blair Murray, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Alex Mann, 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Rhys Davies, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Christian Coleman 19 James Ratti, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Ben Thomas
Date: Saturday, November 29
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 15:10 GMT (17:10 SAST)
Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (RFU), Pierre Brousset (FFR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)