Scarlets prop WillGriff John is in line to win his first Wales cap after being named in the match-day 23 to take on the world champion Springboks in Cardiff on Saturday.
John, signed from Sale Sharks in the summer, has been named among the replacements – one of seven Scarlets selected by Wales head coach Wayne Pivac for the second match of the Autumn Test campaign.
Johnny McNicholl is rewarded for his impressive display against the All Blacks by retaining the No. 15 jersey, while Jonathan Davies takes over the captaincy from the injured Alun Wyn Jones.
Hooker Ryan Elias is the third Scarlet named in the starting line-up.
As well as tight-head John, fellow prop Wyn Jones, scrum-half Gareth Davies and the fit-again Liam Williams are selected on the bench. Williams has recovered from having his appendix removed and will make his first appearance since the third British & Irish Test, against South Africa, back in August.
“South Africa coming to town, as world champions, offers a different challenge to New Zealand. They’ve got a massive forward pack, they’re big across the park really, and they bring a huge aerial threat so it’s going to be a different challenge,” said Pivac.
“It’s a big Test match and we need to get what we think is the best side out there. We’re looking forward to having this side out there on the weekend and it’ll be really interesting to see how we go,”
Wales team to face South Africa, at Principality Stadium, on Sat 6th November 2021
15 Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets); 14 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby), 13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets, capt), 12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens); 11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby); 10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), 9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby); 1 Rhys Carré (Cardiff Rugby), 2 Ryan Elias (Scarlets), 3 Tomas Francis (Ospreys), 4 Will Rowlands (Dragons), 5 Adam Beard (Ospreys), 6 Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Rugby), 7 Taine Basham (Dragons), 8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)Replacements;, 16 Bradley Roberts (Ulster), 17 Wyn Jones (Scarlets), 18 WillGriff John (Scarlets), 19 Ben Carter (Dragons), 20 Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby). 21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets), 22 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys), 23 Liam Williams (Scarlets)
