Seven players added to Wales squad ahead of Springboks arrival

Wales have welcomed back seven players into the camp as they look ahead to the mountainous task of hosting the world champion Springboks in Cardiff this coming weekend.

Wales are smarting from a 54 – 16 drubbing at the hands of New Zealand. Head coach Wayne Pivac was without 20 players heading into the game – including a number of British and Irish Lions – due to injuries, illness and Gallagher Premiership-based personnel not being released by their clubs as the game fell outside World Rugby’s international window.

Pivac has now added Dan Biggar, Taulupe Faletau, Nick Tompkins, Louis Rees-Zammit, Callum Sheedy, Thomas Young and Christ Tshiunza – who all ply their trade in the Gallagher Premiership – to the squad.

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There was mixed news on the injury front over the weekend regarding skipper Alun Wyn Jones and blindside Ross Moriarty’s injuries.

Jones was forced off with a shoulder injury as he attempted to tackle Jordie Barrett. It was the same one dislocated playing for the British & Irish Lions against Japan in June.

Asked if there were worries if 149 times-capped Jones had suffered a repeat of his Lions injury woes, Pivac added: “That wasn’t the discussion, and our medical team was in South Africa.

“I don’t think they will write Alun Wyn Jones off after what happened in South Africa. We will get it scanned, and then we will know a lot more, come Monday.”

The news does not look so promising for flanker Ross Moriarty, who went off just before half-time nursing a shoulder problem.

“Ross’ is an AC joint,” Pivac said. “He was in quite a bit of pain, so that doesn’t look too good.”

New Zealand ran riot in the final 20 minutes with a display of running rugby that even the most ardent Welsh supporters could not help but admire.

Pivac will be hoping the run out against NZ and the added Gallagher Premiership fire power will result in a more competitive Test against the Springboks.

additional reporting, AAP and PA