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World champions South Africa lie in wait for Wales

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Published in Rugby
Saturday, 23 November 2024 08:33

Wales have been forced to make two late changes to the team following the withdrawal of prop Gareth Thomas (illness) and wing Tom Rogers (calf).

Nicky Smith steps into the front row, with Kemsley Mathias taking his place on the bench, while Josh Hathaway gets his first start of the autumn on the wing. Owen Watkin is called onto the bench.

It means six changes from the side crushed by Australia with starts for wing Rio Dyer, fly-half Sam Costelow, lock Christ Tshiunza and number eight Taine Plumtree.

One positional change has seen wing Blair Murray moving to full-back instead of Cameron Winnett.

Dyer wears the number 11 shirt worn by Murray in the last two games, with Costelow replacing Gareth Anscombe, Tshiunza taking over from an injured Adam Beard and Plumtree replacing Aaron Wainwright.

Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas is in line to make his international debut from the bench.

South Africa's six changes from the team that beat England include starts for the Hendrikse brothers Jaden and Jordan as half-backs.

The other four switches are up front, with hooker Johan Grobbelaar, prop Thomas du Toit, lock Franco Mostert, and flanker Elrigh Louw all featuring.

Prop Ox Nche was initially selected but was withdrawn with Wilco Louw staying at tight-head prop, while du Toit lines up at loose-head.

Jean Kleyn was also another late withdrawal with Eben Etzebeth starting again.

A powerful bench includes six forwards, with Malcolm Marx, RG Snyman and Vincent Koch among them, in addition to Wales-qualified uncapped flanker Cameron Hanekom.

Etzebeth and lock partner Franco Mostert have played 207 internationals between them, two more Tests than the whole starting Wales side on Saturday.

The gulf in experience between the two teams is also highlighted by the Wales match-day 23 having a total of 334 caps, only nine fewer than the South Africa replacements.

Wales' seven-man starting backline have only played 61 internationals between them.

The Springboks' 23 for the game can boast 963 Tests between them, with 638 in the starting side. There are 16 World Cup winners in the South Africa squad.

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