Injury-hit Wales call up four new faces after Springboks home defeat

Wales have called up four players to train with the national squad following their injury-hit defeat to South Africa.
Mike PhillipsMike Phillips
Mike Phillips

Scarlets props Samson Lee and Rhodri Jones, plus Newport Gwent Dragons backs Hallam Amos and Tom Prydie will provide cover after the Six Nations champions lost a quartet of players to injury by half-time of Saturday’s 24-15 Millennium Stadium defeat.

A statement from the Welsh Rugby Union read: “Scarlets props Samson Lee and Rhodri Jones and Newport Gwent Dragons duo Hallam Amos and Tom Prydie will train with the Wales squad this week.”

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Centre Jonathan Davies will miss the rest of the November campaign due to a pectoral muscle injury, which could also keep him out of the Six Nations if it requires an operation.

Tighthead prop Adam Jones suffered a calf strain while his replacement Scott Andrews hurt his neck, and wing Liam Williams took a blow to the head in the build-up to South Africa’s first try. Further information on the extent of their injuries is expected on Monday.

Wales Under-20’s cap Lee has worked with the national squad before as has his regional colleague Rhodri Jones, who has two caps to his name.

Amos is uncapped but has made a good start to the season with the Dragons, while Prydie, Wales’ youngest international having made his debut aged 18 years and 25 days in 2010, featured on the summer tour of Japan.

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Ospreys wing Eli Walker, who missed out on a Test debut against the Springboks due to a hamstring problem, and Cardiff Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell (shoulder) have returned to their regions for further treatment.

Mike Phillips has rallied Wales for the remainder of their autumn campaign after they suffered a “devastating” defeat against South Africa.

“I am bitterly disappointed,” said scrum-half Phillips, following an impressive display in his first game since being sacked by French club Bayonne last month for alleged drunken behaviour.

“We are used to winning here in Wales and we really felt that we could go out there and create an upset.

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“Everybody gave it everything. We came back really well in the second half, but we just felt that there were one or two lapses in concentration and the game was gone from us.

“Obviously, they are a great side and they capitalised on that. It’s devastating, really. We just want to go back out there and play the game again, but obviously we can’t.

“We have got to learn from this and move on. We’ve got to win the next three games to put this right.”

Argentina – Wales’ last autumn scalp in 2009 – are next up in six days’ time, followed by Tonga and then Australia.

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“We had a bit of bad luck and they capitalised when we had boys down injured as well. We didn’t have the rub of the green,” Phillips added.

“But there we are. We’ve got to learn from it, grow from it and move on and win the next three games, really.

“South Africa are among the most physical teams out there and they’ve got a simple game-plan. They are very direct and they fed off our mistakes.

“They had a great driving maul and they were maybe a bit more streetwise on the floor. They are good at the tricks of the trade.

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“We felt we were back in the game, but they killed us off with that last try. It was really flat in the changing room afterwards. We don’t like losing, and while we knew it was going to be a tough game, we were confident and felt we had the talent to do it.”

Argentina, beaten emphatically by England on Saturday and unquestionably feeling the effects of a punishing Rugby Championship campaign, comfortably defeated Wales at the Millennium Stadium last year.

A repeat performance from the Pumas next weekend appears unlikely, but Wales know they must regroup quickly - mentally and physically - in order to kick-start the November series.

“It’s going to be tough,” Phillips said, of Argentina’s threat.

“They are very forward-orientated and pride themselves on their scrum and driving lineout. We lost to them last year and we need to match them and get a victory this time.”

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