Steve Tandy has made 14 changes to the Wales squad that lost 26-52 to New Zealand last weekend, with Danny Southworth set for his debut off the bench.

Wales face South Africa on Saturday in a match outside of the international window, meaning Tandy can only call upon Wales-based players.

With the likes of Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Tomos Williams, and Louis Rees-Zammit unavailable, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Rio Dyer, Ellis Mee, and Joe Roberts all come in for their first appearances under Tandy.

In the front row, Gareth Thomas starts at loosehead prop, Keiron Assiratti starts at tighthead prop and captain Dewi Lake is named at hooker.

Kieran Hardy is selected at scrum-half and Dan Edwards is at fly-half. Joe Roberts, who was called up for Wales last week, partners Joe Hawkins in the midfield.

Blair Murray continues at full back with Rio Dyer and Ellis Mee, who joined the Wales squad on Monday, selected on the wings.

Among the replacements, loosehead prop Danny Southworth is in line to make his Wales debut on Saturday with an appearance from the bench. Brodie Coghlan provides cover at hooker and Christian Coleman provides cover at tighthead prop. James Ratti and Morgan Morse are the other forward replacements.

Reuben Morgan-Williams, Callum Sheedy and Ben Thomas are selected as Wales’ back-line replacements for this match.

“What we want to see from the boys [on Saturday] is the same type of effort and performance as we did last weekend,” Tandy said.

“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.”

On Danny Southworth being in line to make his debut Tandy added: “What’s impressed me about Danny, first of all, was his performances for Cardiff at the start of the year, and then coming into the campaign the way he’s adapted to the detail, the way he’s fitted into the group and brings an energy, but he’s also a quality player too.”

Springboks go for power

South Africa, also missing a number of players for this match, have stuck to their strengths, selecting a 7-1 bench split.

The Springboks’ bench has more caps (374) than Wales’ entire matchday squad (267).

The head coach makes eight personnel changes to the team that beat Ireland 24-13 in Dublin with captain 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 retained.

Hooker Johan Grobbelaar, props Wilco Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp, lock Jean Kleyn and Franco Mostert – at blind-side flanker rather than lock – come into a hefty pack.

Scrum-half Morne van den Berg, centre Andre Esterhuizen and wing Ethan Hooker get the nod in the backs with Erasmus going for power on a bench which includes legendary lock Eben Etzebeth along the seven replacement forwards.

Wales

Blair Murray; Ellis Mee, Joe Roberts, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Rhys Davies, Taine Plumtree, Alex Mann, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements

Brodie Coghlan, Danny Southworth, Chris Coleman, James Ratti, Morgan Morse, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Callum Sheedy, Ben Thomas.

South Africa

Damian Willemse, Ethan Hooker, Damian De Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morne van der Berg; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Jean Kleyn, Ruan Nortje, Siya Kolisi (capt), Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese.

Replacements

Bongi Mbonambi, Zachary Porthen, Asenathu Ntlabakanye, Eben Etzebeth, Marco van Staden, Ben-Jason Dixon, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach.

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