Last chance for Williams, Cuthbert to crack at WC

Pretoria. — Johnny Williams and Alex Cuthbert have a chance to prove their World Cup credentials in the final warm-up match against South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday.

Flanker Jac Morgan captains Wales again and scrum-half Kieran Hardy starts in a side that shows 13 changes.

Dragons’ flanker Taine Basham is named as a replacement alongside the uncapped duo of Cai Evans and Teddy Williams.

Warren Gatland is due to name his final 33-man squad on August 21.

Dan Biggar starts for the first time this summer after appearing as a replacement in the opening games against England.

Only full-back Liam Williams and flanker Dan Lydiate survive from the starting side that lost 19-17 at Twickenham.

Dragons full-back Evans and Cardiff lock Teddy Williams could both win their first caps off the bench, which would mean Gatland has given 46 out of his 48-man squad a chance to impress in the three summer Tests.

Taulupe Faletau (calf) and fly-half Gareth Anscombe (thumb) would then be the only players not to feature at all, due to injury, but are likely to go to France if fit.

Scarlets’ centre Williams (26) becomes the eighth centre selected by Gatland since taking charge.

He last played for Wales against New Zealand in November 2021 – under Wayne Pivac – when he scored the hosts’ only try.

He is partnered in midfield by Cardiff’s Mason Grady, which will be the 22nd different centre combination picked by Wales in 42 internationals since the last World Cup.

Williams and Grady are battling with Nick Tompkins, George North, Joe Roberts, Keiran Williams and Max Llewellyn for probably four places in Gatland’s final squad.

Ospreys wing Cuthbert (33) missed the training camps in Switzerland and Turkey through injury.

Basham, who came on as a replacement last weekend at Twickenham, was the victim of a high tackle from Owen Farrell.

This resulted in the England captain being sent off before the red card was controversially overturned by a disciplinary hearing three days later.

Basham (23) failed his head injury assessment (HIA) on the day but Gatland suggested in a newspaper column that the process had been flawed because there was a television on in the same room.

The WRU say Basham is fit to play because no concussion was confirmed following completion of all three stages of World Rugby’s HIA protocol.

Ospreys flanker Morgan will now be the favourite to captain Wales in the World Cup after leading the side in the 20-9 victory over England two weeks ago.

Hooker Dewi Lake was captain in the defeat at Twickenham, with Adam Beard taking over the leadership when the hooker was forced off injured.

Dragons lock Ben Carter partners his former clubmate Will Rowlands, who will win his 25th cap to secure his future eligibility for Wales when he joins Racing 92 next season.

Those playing club rugby outside of Wales are now required to have 25 caps to represent their country after the number was dropped from 60.

That rule is the reason centre Joe Hawkins, who is moving to Exeter from Ospreys, is ineligible for Wales having only played five internationals.

Rowlands was available for the summer fixtures and subsequently the World Cup because his registration will “still be held in Wales during this time”.

Wales open the World Cup campaign against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10 before further group games against Portugal, Australia and Georgia.

Lake, Ryan Elias, Taine Plumtree, Faletau and Anscombe are all injury concerns ahead of the tournament.

“Preparations have gone well and [it’s] another opportunity for this group of 23 players to put their hand up before we select the World Cup squad,” said Gatland.

“We are pleased with the whole squad. We are trying to build some depth within the team, and there is been a great atmosphere.

“In the first couple of games, what was really pleasing for me was the physicality we brought and the way we defended.

“There are still things for us to work on in terms of being much more accurate. There’s been a lot of learning from that second England game, and hopefully we put that into practice against South Africa.

“We expect confidence and physicality from South Africa, who don’t make a lot of mistakes.

“It’s a very experienced team for them, but we’ve got a great chance in front of a home crowd to produce some of the good things that we did in both the games against England.

“We just need to make sure we are accurate for 80 minutes,” he said. — BBC.