Wales head coach Steve Tandy has revealed that players cut from the 33-man squad could be flown directly to South Africa for the final Nations Championship match later this month. Some of those omitted on Tuesday remain around the squad, including Dragons' Ryan Woodman, who covers second-row and back-row.
Wales squad depth tested
Wales open their campaign against Fiji on Saturday in Cardiff, then travel to Argentina for a match against Los Pumas in San Juan the following weekend. With only one training session likely before that fixture, they then face a lengthy trip to South Africa to take on the Springboks the following Saturday.
Ben Carter and Adam Beard start at lock against Fiji after Dafydd Jenkins was ruled out through injury, with Taine Plumtree covering on the bench. Teddy Williams is the other lock option, while Woodman and Freddie Thomas were cut from the wider squad. Tandy explained the logistical challenges: "It's a little bit different because it was harder probably this time where we have a home game, so you've got a wider squad. Whereas if you were away for three tests, you'd probably take a 38 or 39-man squad."
"So it's been difficult for some of those boys (that were cut), but then probably it's easier for them to fly straight to South Africa than it is to go to Argentina and go there. We're taking a World Cup-sized squad, with 33 or so players. But again, there is that potential because you see it's going to be a pretty physical encounter on Saturday and people might either be added to the Argentina flight or going straight to South Africa off the back of that."
Hybrid players key for Wales
Tandy sees Plumtree as a potential long-term second-row option. "Losing Daf is obviously a big blow, but also I think where the game is at as well, I think some of these hybrids are coming in," he said. "I think Taine has got the qualities to potentially play second-row, Freddie can play back-row, so I think that's where probably some of the rugby's going. You still need your tradesmen like Ben Carter, Beard, Daf and Teddy. but I think also in and around the game and the bench slots covering a little bit more, obviously helps us."
Pollock dropped to England bench
Henry Pollock has been left out of England's starting XV for Saturday's Nations Championship opener against South Africa at Ellis Park, despite his outstanding finish to the domestic season. The Northampton back-rower, who starred during Saints' run-in and has attracted plenty of attention in South Africa this week, has instead been named among the replacements by head coach Steve Borthwick.
Jack van Poortvliet has won the battle to start at scrum-half, edging out Alex Mitchell and Ben Spencer to partner Fin Smith at half-back. It will be Van Poortvliet's first England start since facing the USA in July 2025. Mitchell, previously England's first-choice scrum-half, only returned from a hamstring injury in Northampton's Gallagher Premiership final victory over Exeter last month and is named on the bench. Spencer, meanwhile, featured in England's narrow defeat by France at the end of the Six Nations but has been managing an undisclosed niggle, while Borthwick has also cited the Bath scrum-half's heavy workload this season.
Feyi-Waboso returns for England
England have been boosted by the return of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the right wing after the Exeter flyer missed the entire Championship with a torn hamstring. Feyi-Waboso also recovered from a broken jaw suffered against Leicester at the end of May, returning in the Premiership final to prove his fitness for the opening Test of England's three-match series this month. Cadan Murley starts on the opposite wing, while George Furbank makes his first England appearance since November 2024 at full-back after overcoming a frustrating run of injuries.
Borthwick continues his experiment of deploying Tommy Freeman at outside centre, where he partners Seb Atkinson in midfield. England field their strongest available front row of Ellis Genge, captain Jamie George and Joe Heyes against the Springboks, while Ollie Chessum has been handed the vice-captaincy for the first time from blindside flanker. With regular captain Maro Itoje rested for the July tour, England are looking to claim only their second-ever victory over South Africa in Johannesburg, having previously won at Ellis Park just once, in 1972.
"Playing South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the great Tests in world rugby and an opportunity we're excited to embrace," Borthwick said. "We've prepared well since we arrived here last week and I sense a real excitement within the squad to get our Nations Championship campaign underway."
England matchday squad
Starting XV: George Furbank (Harlequins); Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester), Cadan Murley (Harlequins); Fin Smith (Northampton), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester); Ellis Genge (Bristol), Jamie George (Saracens, captain), Joe Heyes (Leicester), Alex Coles (Northampton), George Martin (Saracens), Ollie Chessum (Leicester, vice-captain), Tom Curry (Sale), Ben Earl (Saracens).
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale), Beno Obano (Bath), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Guy Pepper (Bath), Henry Pollock (Northampton), Alex Mitchell (Northampton), Marcus Smith (Harlequins).
Townsend excited to see Jordan
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is looking forward to seeing “Test match animal” Tom Jordan starting at fly-half in Saturday’s inaugural Nations Championship opener against Argentina in Cordoba. Finn Russell, who has not been named in the matchday squad, is hoping to recover in time from a calf injury and be back in contention for next week’s clash against world champions South Africa in Pretoria. But Townsend feels he has strength in depth in the pivotal number 10 role as Bristol’s Jordan gets the nod over another versatile New Zealand-born back, Saracens’ Fergus Burke, who starts on the bench.
Jordan, who will win his 18th senior cap for the Scots, can also play at full-back and centre, but has thrived at fly-half for Bristol after AJ MacGinty ruptured his Achilles on the opening day of the Gallagher Premiership season. When asked what he expects from the 27-year-old Jordan on Saturday, Townsend said: “More of the same, and how he’s been playing for his club team. I think we’re blessed with the 10s that we have on this tour. Tom’s played all season really at 10 when AJ MacGinty picked up an injury. He’s played a 10 for us, 12 for us, 15. He’s a Test match animal, like he brings so much energy and is able to bring his own game when he plays for Scotland. So we’re looking forward to seeing him start. And then Fergus Burke on the bench. He has probably been the form 10 in England over the last two months of the season, so he’s in great physical shape. He’s full of confidence, so we expect him to play a part in the weekend too."
