Wales team to face Springboks in Cardiff

Liam Williams will replace full-back Leigh Halfpenny in the Wales team for Saturday's Under Armour Series finale against South Africa.

Halfpenny misses the Springboks clash due to concussion he suffered during Wales' 9-6 victory over Australia 12 days ago.

And Saracens back Williams has been handed the number 15 shirt by head coach Warren Gatland in a solitary change from the side that beat Australia.

Williams, who lined up on the wing and scored two tries when Wales beat Tonga 74-24 five days ago, started twice at full-back for his country last season and in all three 2017 British and Irish Lions Tests against New Zealand.

Williams is the only starting XV survivor from the Tonga encounter.

Gareth Anscombe will fill the fly-half berth, with Dan Biggar on replacement duty, while Adam Beard is again captain Alun Wyn Jones' second-row partner.

Elsewhere, wing George North has recovered from a leg injury that forced him off against the Wallabies and Gatland retains a back row of Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty.

Wales have won four of the last five games against South Africa and they are also chasing a ninth successive victory against all opponents, which would equal their longest unbeaten run since 1999.

And they go into the Principality Stadium clash needing victory to complete a first four-from-four autumn Tests clean sweep after seeing off Scotland, Australia and Tonga earlier this month.

Reflecting on his selection, Gatland said: "We have rewarded the team that faced Australia with another start this weekend.

"Leigh misses out with concussion, but it's a great opportunity for Liam at full-back.

"We are really pleased with how the bench has gone in the first three games, so we will be looking for that impact again on Saturday.

"There were a lot of tough selection calls, but that is what we want. The team that played last week was hugely impressive, and there are some disappointed boys who miss out.

"We want to end the campaign with a big performance against a very good South African side."



Wales team to play South Africa

Forwards: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Adam Beard, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Captain), 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Ross Moriarty

Backs: 9 Gareth Davies, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 11 Josh Adams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 13 Jonathan Davies, 14 George North, 15 Liam Williams

Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Owen Watkin

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