Wales make 12 changes for Springboks Test with Tom Rogers among those missing after history-making hat-trick against New Zealand
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Updated 27/11/2025 at 14:26 GMT
Wales will be without 13 internationals for this weekend's autumn Test against South Africa - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ with kick-off on Saturday at 3.10pm - with Tom Rogers among those sidelined for the clashs. Wales head coach Steve Tandy has made eight changes to his starting XV with the 45-year-old hampered by the fixture falling outside World Rugby’s designated international window.
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Wales will be without a host of experienced internationals for their Quilter Nations Series Test against South Africa this weekend - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - with Tom Rogers among those absent at the Principality Stadium.
Rogers made history by becoming the first Welshman to score a hat-trick against New Zealand last weekend, when Wales lost 52-26 - but the Scarlets back has sustained a hamstring injury and has returned to his club for further assessment.
A total of six players - Blair Murray, Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy, captain Dewi Lake, Keiron Assiratti, and Alex Mann - are set to make their fourth appearances of the autumn campaign.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy makes eight alterations in total to his starting XV to take on the double World champions on Saturday (kick-off 3.10pm) with the 45-year-old not helped by the game taking place outside World Rugby's designated international window.
As a result, Wales are without 13 players who have travelled back to England and France but, Tandy remains confident the players he has at his disposal will relish taking centre stage and the chance to cause an almighty upset.
"It's a great opportunity for the boys," said Tandy, who had to select solely from the four Welsh regions. "We picked a squad at the start and we knew this game was already in place.
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"It's an opportunity for a good few boys to get their start and they've all worked hard throughout the campaign.
"I think they are all excited and can't wait to get going on Saturday."
Tandy will be able to call upon Dragons No. 8 Aaron Wainwright after the forward pulled out of facing New Zealand due to a hip injury.
The absence of Rogers and Bristol's Louis Rees-Zammit has forced a reshuffle in the back three, with Ellis Mee - called up on Monday - and Rio Dyer taking their places on the wings.
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Joe Roberts and scrum-half Kieran Hardy come into the starting XV, replacing Gloucester duo Max Llewellyn and Tomos Williams.
Gareth Thomas earns his first start of the autumn at loose-head prop, while Ben Carter and Rhys Davies form a new second-row partnership. Ospreys lock James Fender, however, misses out on a potential debut after suffering a shoulder injury.
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The return of Wainwright triggers further adjustments in the back row: Alex Mann switches to open-side flanker at the expense of Harri Deaves, while Taine Plumtree shifts to blind-side.
Cardiff loose-head prop Danny Southworth is poised for a Test debut from the bench, where he is joined by club-mate Callum Sheedy.
In total, 10 players will make their first appearance of the autumn series - Mee, Roberts, Dyer, Carter and Davies in the starting XV, with Southworth, tight-head Chris Coleman, lock James Ratti, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams and Sheedy named among the replacements.
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Aaron Wainwright scores a try for Wales in their Autumn Nations Series match at home to Australia.
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Looking ahead to the match, Tandy emphasised the standards he expects from his side, adding "What we want to see from the boys is the same type of effort and performance as we did last weekend.
"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."
Wales squad to face South Africa
Wales: 15. Murray; 14. Mee, 13. Roberts, 12. Hawkins, 11. Dyer; 10. Edwards, 9. Hardy; 1. G Thomas, 2. D Lake (c), 3. Assiratti, 4. Carter, 5. R Davies, 6. Plumtree, 7. Mann, 8. Wainwright.
Replacements: Coghlan, Southworth, Coleman, Ratti, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Sheedy, B Thomas.
South Africa squad to face Wales
South Africa: D Willemse; Hooker, De Allende, Esterhuizen, Moodie; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Van den Berg; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Louw, Kleyn, Nortje, Kolisi (capt), Mostert, Wiese.
Replacements: Mbonambi, Porthen, Ntlabakanye, Etzebeth, Van Staden, Dixon, Smith, Reinach.
South Africa have announced their team for the match in Cardiff, as coach Rassie Erasmus makes eight changes to the side that overcame Ireland in Dublin.
Skipper and flanker Siya Kolisi, lock Ruan Nortje, number eight Jasper Wiese, fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, centre Damian de Allende, wing Canan Moodie, and full-back Damian Willemse, all keep their places in the side.
Amongst those introduced include props Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp, lock Jean Kleyn and blindside flanker Franco Mostert.
The back positions are comprised of scrum-half Morne van den Berg, centre Andre Esterhuizen and wing Ethan Hooker.
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM, Quilter Nations Series and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+
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