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Flanker Jac Morgan has been ruled out of Wales’ summer tour with a hamstring injury as hooker Dewi Lake captains the side to facet South Africa this weekend at Twickenham.
Uncapped Cardiff scrum-half Ellis Bevan is named in the starting side, while Eddie James, James Ratti and Jacob Beetham could win first caps from the replacements bench.
Ratti was only called up to the squad on yesterday to act as cover for Wales’ second-row injury crisis with Cory Hill also unavailable.
Dragons duo Ben Carter and Matthew Screech are the starting locks, while new Scarlets signing Henry Thomas is named at tight-head prop. Cardiff flanker James Botham was only called up on Monday but starts in the back row alongside Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright.
There is a recall for Liam Williams who is named on the wing.
Williams missed the Six Nations after signing for Japanese club Kubota Spears but is still available for Wales and has been recalled for the summer tour.
Centres Owen Watkin and Mason Grady form the midfield partnership with Grady named at inside centre.
Beetham will cover fly-half Sam Costelow from the bench with no Ben Thomas named in the squad.
Morgan and Lake were Wales co-captains during the 2023 World Cup but both missed the Six Nations through injury when Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins led the side.
Wales’ England-based club players are unavailable to play against the Springboks because the match falls outside World Rugby’s international window.
That includes Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Nick Tompkins, Archie Griffin, Josh Hathaway and Dillon Lewis.
Wales are struggling severely in the lock department with Jenkins and Tshiunza ineligible, Will Rowlands has been rested for the summer, Hill joining Adam Beard, Teddy Williams and Rhys Davies on the injury list and Seb Davies suspended.
It will be a first start for Screech, who made a replacement appearance against Argentina in 2021. Wales have lost their last six internationals since defeating Georgia in the World Cup and finished bottom of the Six Nations for the first time in 20 years after suffering a clean sweep of defeats.
Wales will travel to Australia in July for two Tests against the Wallabies in Sydney and Melbourne and a tour match against Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
This game against South Africa is an away fixture for Wales with the match being played at Twickenham.
Flanker PieterSteph du Toit will captain the Springboks in the absence of the unavailable Siya Kolisi because South Africa are missing their Europe-based players.
South Africa are also without the Bulls players who have reached the United Rugby Championship (URC) final against Glasgow which is being staged the same day in Pretoria.
There are four uncapped players in the match-day squad with fly-half Jordan Hendrikse and wing Edwill van der Merwe starting.
Lock Ben-Jason Dixon and utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezula are the two new faces on the replacements bench.
Prop Vincent Koch will win his 50th cap, while hooker Malcom Marx returns after recovering from a knee injury suffered in the World Cup. Damien Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am are injured but there are still 10 players in the match-day squad that featured in the World Cup final, while 16 players were members of the squad that triumphed in France last year.
Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Grant Williams and Damian de Allende respectively are named as replacements.
South Africa: Aphelele Fassi; Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hen-drikse, Faf de Klerk; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit (capt), Evan Roos.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Ben-Jason Dixon, Grant Wil-liams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian de Allende.
Wales: Cameron Winnett; Liam Williams, Owen Watkin, Mason Grady, Rio Dyer; Sam Costelow, Ellis Bevan; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Henry Thomas, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, James Botham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Keiron Keiron Assiratti, James Ratti, Mackenzie Martin, Gareth Davies, Eddie James, Jacob Beetham. — BBC
Online Reporter