Wales face a significant selection shake-up ahead of their autumn international finale against world champions South Africa at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on Saturday. Tom Rogers, the Scarlets wing who made history with a hat-trick against New Zealand last weekend, will miss the Test due to a hamstring injury sustained during Wales’ 52-26 defeat.

The injury to Rogers, combined with the absence of Bristol’s Louis Rees-Zammit, has forced head coach Steve Tandy to make 12 changes to his matchday squad, including eight changes to the starting XV.

Squad Selection Challenges

As this fixture falls outside World Rugby’s official Test window, Tandy was limited to players from the four Welsh regions, with thirteen members of the broader squad returning to clubs in England and France.

Despite the setback, Tandy has been boosted by the return of Dragons number eight Aaron Wainwright, who missed the clash against New Zealand due to a hip injury. His presence strengthens Wales’ back-row options and allows some positional flexibility.

Key Debuts and Returns

Wales’ squad sees several new faces and positional switches:

• Wings: Ellis Mee and Rio Dyer replace Rogers and Rees-Zammit. Mee was called up to the squad on Monday and is set for his first autumn international.
• Centres and Half-backs: Joe Roberts and scrum-half Kieran Hardy come in for Gloucester pair Max Llewellyn and Tomos Williams.
• Front Row: Gareth Thomas earns a first start at loose-head prop.
• Second Row: Ben Carter and Rhys Davies form a new partnership, with Ospreys lock James Fender ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
• Back Row: Wainwright’s return moves Alex Mann to open-side, with Taine Plumtree shifting to blind-side and Harri Deaves missing out.

The bench also features potential debuts for Cardiff’s Danny Southworth, tight-head prop Chris Coleman, lock James Ratti, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams, and fly-half Callum Sheedy.

In total, ten players are set for their first autumn international appearance, either in the starting XV or from the bench, signaling a major opportunity for fresh talent to make an impact.

Predicted Wales Line-Up

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

Replacements: Coghlan, Danny Southworth, Chris Coleman, James Ratti, Morse, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Callum Sheedy, B Thomas.

Steve Tandy’s Expectations

Tandy emphasized that, despite changes, Wales must maintain the intensity and commitment shown against New Zealand.

“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 our defensive work, and we want to give the supporters something to shout about,” he said.

Match Information

• Fixture: Wales vs South Africa
• Date & Time: Saturday, 29 November, 15:10 GMT
• Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
• Coverage: BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, plus live text commentary on BBC Sport website and app

This autumn finale presents Wales with a chance to showcase emerging talent while facing one of the world’s most formidable teams, with South Africa’s strength and depth providing a stern test for Tandy’s largely home-based squad.