Alex Cuthbert to start for Wales in warm-up game against South Africa
Alex Cuthbert has played 57 Tests for Wales
©PA
Wales head coach Warren Gatland has included Alex Cuthbert and Johnny Williams in their starting line up for the upcoming Rugby World Cup warm-up game against South Africa to be played on Saturday.
Both Cuthbert and Williams will make their first appearance in the warm-up matches leading to the showpiece event as they replace Josh Adams at right wing and Nick Tompkins at inside centre respectively.
Williams will partner with Mason Grady in midfield while Rio Dyer starts at left wing and Liam Williams retains his place at fullback from the previous game against England.
Dan Biggar returns as he adds experience to the fly-half while scrum-half Kieran Hardy starts with a new look front row in Elliot Dee, Keiron Assiratti and Corey Domachowski. Ben Carter and Will Rowlands will partner in the second row.
Flanker Jac Morgan will captain Wales for the second time in three games and is joined by Dan Lydiate and Aaron Wainwright in the back row. The bench has two uncapped players in Teddy Williams and Cai Evans.
"Preparations have gone well. We are really pleased with the whole squad," said Gatland.
"We are trying to build some depth within the team, and there has been a great atmosphere.
"In the first couple of games what was really pleasing for me was the physicality we brought and the way we defended.
"There are still things for us to work on in terms of being much more accurate.
"There has been a lot of learning from that second England game, and hopefully we put that into practice against South Africa. There is another opportunity for this group of 23 players to put their hand up before we select the World Cup squad."
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kieran Hardy; 1 Corey Domachowski, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 4 Ben Carter, 5 Will Rowlands, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 8 Aaron Wainwright.
Reserves: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Max Llewellyn, 23 Cai Evans.
