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Ospreys second-row James Fender(Image: Chris Fairweather\/Huw Evans Agency)<\/p>\nWales will be forced to field a much-changed team out of the international windowOspreys second-row James Fender(Image: Chris Fairweather\/Huw Evans Agency)<\/p>\n
Wales’ full focus will be on containing a wounded All Blacks side at the Principality Stadium this weekend.<\/p>\n
But seven days later Steve Tandy’s side will take on the world champions South Africa shorn of 14 players due to the game being played outside of World Rugby’s designated international window. Tandy has already called a couple of reinforcements into the squad in Ospreys tighthead Ben Warren and Scarlets centre Joe Roberts, but more will surely follow.<\/p>\n
Here is the matchday squad Tandy could field against the Springboks.<\/p>\n
15. Tom Rogers<\/strong><\/p>\n Wales will be down to the bare bones in the back three to face South Africa with Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams unavailable.<\/p>\n They will have to call up reinforcements but if Tandy sticks within his squad it will be between Blair Murray, Jacob Beetham and Tom Rogers. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.<\/a><\/p>\n Murray has been exposed under the high ball of late and Wales cannot afford that to happen against the world champions.<\/p>\n Rogers is very good in the air and is also a dangerous broken-field runner.<\/p>\n 14. Rio Dyer<\/strong><\/p>\n It will probably be a case of last man standing when it comes to the back-three.<\/p>\n Dragons wing Dyer has not played for Wales since facing the Springboks last autumn and was left out of both the Six Nations<\/a> and summer tour squads.<\/p>\n The 25-year-old has struggled to regain the form which initially propelled him into the Wales squad back in 2022.<\/p>\n But the 23-cap wing does have experience of playing in big games and one area where he is relatively strong is the aerial battle which is so important at Test level.<\/p>\n 13. Joe Roberts<\/strong><\/p>\n The 25-year-old was initially left out of Tandy’s squad but received a call-up this week.<\/p>\n Wales will be without Max Llewellyn, Louie Hennessey and Nick Tompkins for the visit of South Africa leaving Roberts as the only out and out 13 in the squad.<\/p>\n The Scarlets<\/a> centre has perhaps not been at his best over the opening phase of the United Rugby Championship season and his progress has been stalled by a number of significant injuries.<\/p>\n But he is a player capable of making the step up with his physicality and his threat with ball in hand a useful tool.<\/p>\n 12. Joe Hawkins<\/strong><\/p>\n It will be between Ben Thomas and Hawkins to wear the number 12 shirt against the Springboks.<\/p>\n Thomas started the first two Test matches of the autumn and is a favourite of attack coach Matt Sherratt, but there are those who believe Wales’ midfield has not offered enough of an offensive threat.<\/p>\n Hawkins still has an awful lot to prove but he is a triple-threat player with strong distribution skills who also offers a physical threat.<\/p>\n 11. Blair Murray<\/strong><\/p>\n Wales have been using Murray as a full-back but he has struggled in the air and South Africa will target the Scarlets man in this area.<\/p>\n Of course, given the importance of the kick-chase, it is still a prerequisite to be strong aerially while playing on the wing.<\/p>\n But Murray is a very potent attacking threat and offers a huge amount with ball in hand.<\/p>\n It is sometimes easier to focus on what a player can’t do rather than what he can do and Murray can hurt teams when the game is broken up.<\/p>\n 10. Dan Edwards<\/strong><\/p>\n The 22-year-old has been a huge positive for Wales so far this autumn.<\/p>\n Edwards is still finding his feet at this level but he has the potential to be Dan Biggar’s long-term successor in the number 10 jersey.<\/p>\n The rising Ospreys<\/a> star came close to scoring a sensational solo try against Argentina but did get over the line in the victory over Japan. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Has a nice balance to his game and will be a key figure against the Springboks.<\/p>\n 9. Kieran Hardy<\/strong><\/p>\n The absence of Gloucester scrum-half Tomos Williams will be a huge blow to Wales’ chances of being competitive against the world champions.<\/p>\n Hardy is a very good club player and has won 25 caps for Wales so has experience at Test level.<\/p>\n The Ospreys number nine is a good technical scrum-half who does the basics well but is not the same level of attacking threat as Williams.<\/p>\n But he regularly partners Dan Edwards at club level and combinations will be important.<\/p>\n 8. Morgan Morse<\/strong><\/p>\n Currently Morse is uncapped, although that could change against the All Blacks this weekend.<\/p>\n Even if it does not Wales will be without Olly Cracknell for the game, meaning Morse stands a great chance of starting against South Africa.<\/p>\n It is a matter of when not if the Ospreys backrower becomes a star at Test level, because his potential is enormous.<\/p>\n He has the ability to become a starting player by the time the 2027 Rugby World Cup<\/a> comes around.<\/p>\n 7. Alex Mann<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cardiff<\/a> backrower has been a success story for Wales this autumn.<\/p>\n Mann may not be the biggest in size but he is as tough as they come and was WalesOnline’s star man in the victory over Japan.<\/p>\n The 23-year-old is not shy of putting his body on the line and gets through a huge amount of work while he also has some X-factor with ball in hand.<\/p>\n Uncapped Ospreys openside Harri Deaves is another option to start.<\/p>\n 6. Aaron Wainwright<\/strong><\/p>\n The Dragons backrower has been one of Wales’ better players in what has been a wretched 18 months.<\/p>\n He wasn’t at his best against Japan but Wainwright is now a very experienced Test player and Wales will need the 28-year-old to lead from the front against South Africa.<\/p>\n Wainwright has a nice blend of athleticism and physicality, but Wales will need him to win the contact area while also getting over the gainline.<\/p>\n 5. James Fender<\/strong><\/p>\n What a game it would be for the 24-year-old to make his Wales debut.<\/p>\n Fender has been consistently excellent for the Ospreys over the past few seasons and would surely have been capped by now if it wasn’t for a few unlucky injuries.<\/p>\n The Ospreys lock is a physical player who gets through a lot of work and is a strong lineout forward.<\/p>\n But he could be up against the likes of Eben Etzebeth, so this would undoubtedly be the biggest test of his career to date.<\/p>\n 4. Rhys Davies<\/strong><\/p>\n Combinations will be important against South Africa, which is why we have paired Davies with his Ospreys colleague James Fender.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old is a very physical player with a nasty edge and likes to get under the skin of the opposition.<\/p>\n He is a good lineout forward who typically makes a lot of tackles with many of them dominant collisions.<\/p>\n 3. Keiron Assiratti<\/strong><\/p>\n The 28-year-old impressed against Argentina, offering himself as a carrier while his tip on passes at the point of contact showcased his handling skills.<\/p>\n Assiratti also put in 15 tackles against the Pumas, which is very respectable for a tighthead prop.<\/p>\n The Cardiff tighthead also played a pivotal role in Wales snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against Japan.<\/p>\n He was very destructive at the scrum, taking the Japan set-piece apart on a couple of occasions, while he was also good around the park.<\/p>\n 2. Dewi Lake (captain)<\/strong><\/p>\n Wales will need the 26-year-old to be at his best against the Springboks.<\/p>\n Lake is one of the only Wales forwards who can not only hold his own but win collisions against the Springboks.<\/p>\n The lineout will need to improve to stand a chance of being competitive, but Lake is a powerful carrier capable of making significant post-contact metres, which is needed.<\/p>\n 1. Gareth Thomas<\/strong><\/p>\n Wales will be without Rhys Carr\u00e9 and Nicky Smith against the Springboks but they are fortunate they have the 42-times capped Thomas.<\/p>\n The 32-year-old is an experienced player who has always been a solid performer for Wales at international level. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.<\/a><\/p>\n Thomas is a strong scrummager who gets through a huge amount of the unseen work around the park.<\/p>\n Replacements<\/strong>16. Liam Belcher<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cardiff captain has been used as a replacement in the first two games of the autumn and that is unlikely to change against South Africa.<\/p>\n Made a strong impact in the victory over Japan.<\/p>\n 17. Danny Southworth<\/strong><\/p>\n With Carr\u00e9 and Smith absent Cardiff loosehead Southworth is in line to make his Test debut against the world champions.<\/p>\n 18. Chris Coleman<\/strong><\/p>\n The Dragons tighthead is odds on to be on the bench against South Africa with Archie Griffin unavailable.<\/p>\n 19. Ben Carter<\/strong><\/p>\n The Dragons lock may well start but he will certainly be involved in the 23.<\/p>\n 20. Taine Plumtree<\/strong><\/p>\n The Scarlets man is a useful player to have on the bench given he can play six, eight or at lock.<\/p>\n 21. Reuben Morgan-Williams<\/strong><\/p>\n The 27-year-old has been playing well for the Ospreys and is capable of making an impact if he gets his chance with Wales.<\/p>\n 22. Ben Thomas<\/strong><\/p>\n Thomas is a talented footballer capable of covering outside-half, centre and full-back.<\/p>\n Will have a key role to play against the Springboks.<\/p>\n 23. Jacob Beetham<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cardiff star is primarily seen as full-back by attack coach Matt Sherratt but he can also play centre.<\/p>\n Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our<\/strong> free daily newsletter here<\/strong><\/a> and our <\/strong>WhatsApp channel here<\/strong><\/a> for all the breaking news.<\/strong><\/p>\n You can also follow us on social media on our <\/strong>X account<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Instagram<\/strong><\/a> and<\/strong> TikTok.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n