Wales' Deputies Backed To Step Up Against Springboks

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v South Africa

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 29 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

Coverage: Commentary connected BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and unrecorded matter connected BBC Sport online.

Joe Hawkins has gone from being an world exile successful Exeter to helping Wales effort to header without their England-based contingent.

Steve Tandy's men decorativeness their autumn run pinch a daunting fixture against world champions South Africa successful Cardiff connected Saturday.

A crippled against nan Springboks would beryllium difficult capable pinch a afloat squad but Wales will beryllium forced into immense changes to nan 23 that put successful a spirited capacity successful nan 52-26 conclusion by New Zealand.

Tandy is without Montpellier's Adam Beard positive 12 players who person gone backmost to English clubs because nan money-raising brushwood has been arranged extracurricular World Rugby's charismatic Test window.

Hawkins, who won his first headdress successful 2 years against nan All Blacks aft a move to Scarlets allowed him to resume his world career, is assured that nan deputies tin measurement up.

"You've ever sewage to beryllium fresh and a chance tin ever travel earlier sometimes owed to injuries," said nan centre aliases fly-half.

"The boys person been training difficult and I'm beautiful assured anyone who does travel successful tin do a bully occupation adjacent weekend."

Hawkins will effort to build connected his capacity against New Zealand erstwhile he replaced Ben Thomas successful nan XV.

It was nan 23-year-old's first headdress since 2023 aft a move from nan Ospreys to Exeter made him ineligible for world rugby nether nan Welsh Rugby Union's action argumentation arsenic he did not person capable caps.

"It was people to beryllium backmost successful that ambiance and I couldn't person picked a amended 1 to travel backmost successful than nan All Blacks and facing nan haka," he said.

"I've astir apt enjoyed it much pinch Wales this clip astir because erstwhile you spell without thing you realise really overmuch you miss it.

"I'm conscionable grateful to beryllium backmost successful nan environment. I'm enjoying being backmost and competing pinch each nan boys."

The task for Wales connected Saturday is to enactment competitory against a South Africa broadside who are world champions, classed first successful nan world, winners of nan Rugby Championship and who are caller from autumn victories against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland.

"Everyone has seen pinch South Africa that historically they are beingness and they overpower teams," said Hawkins.

"But it seems to beryllium complete nan past mates of years they've added a spot of attacking flair to their game.

"You are not conscionable trying to extremity them upfront now, you've sewage to do that but besides interest astir nan threats they've sewage behind.

"They are an unbelievable squad and are number 1 successful nan world for a logic but for america nan portion of nan travel we are connected it is ace breathtaking to beryllium capable to spell retired and compete against that."