Wales' captain and hooker will take the field against South Africa on Saturday despite nursing an injury from the preceding match. The coaching staff has implemented a substantial reshuffle of the starting positions, introducing six new players following their previous loss. The alterations include reinstating a wing and forming a fresh centre combination, whilst displacing others to the replacement bench. A flanker has been brought into the Nations Championship squad for the first time in the current tournament, despite having been sidelined from recent campaigns.

The Welsh team will contend with defending world champions who inflicted a dominant defeat upon them several months prior. Second-row options have been severely limited due to injury concerns, necessitating the hasty inclusion of reinforcements. Coach Tandy has described the squad modifications as a means to revitalise the side and demonstrate physical intensity, particularly as Wales seeks to improve on their current tournament record of one win and one loss.