Cape Town - Junior Springbok coach Chean Roux has made six changes to his starting team to face Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Tuesday, most of which arere rotational, as he looks to ensure that the players get the necessary game time before the World Rugby U20 Championship.
The team features a new centre pairing of Manuel Rass and Lyle Hendricks, while scrumhalf Zak Burger will join forces with Lubabalo Dobela at halfback in the three changes to backline.
The switches in the pack see a new-look front row with prop Nathan McBeth and hooker Schalk Erasmus start alongside Sazi Sandi, who retains his place in the starting XV, and Ben-Jason Dixon joins captain Salmaan Moerat in the second row.
Only one of the changes were injury enforced, as prop Alulutho Tshakweni took a knock to his knee against Scotland.
The expanded squad, featuring 25 players, includes three players who did not participate in the match against Scotland, namely prop Cohen Kiewit, scrumhalf Jack Hart and flyhalf David Coetzer.
Coetzer joined the squad in Cardiff on Tuesday as cover for Damian Willemse, who will remain with the Stormers until the team assembles for their World Rugby U20 Championship holding camp.
"The World Rugby U20 Championship is drawing closer, so we have to ensure that everyone is ready for the tournament, and has sufficient game time under the belt, which is why we decided to make a few rotational switches," said Roux.
"This will also allow us to further grow and develop the player combinations we have been working on. Our main purpose on this tour is to build toward the international spectacle in the south of France, so everything we do is geared toward that."
Roux expected a testing encounter against Wales.
"Wales will pose different challenges to Scotland and we expect that this challenge will be a notch up from our last outing, so we need to be switched on from the outset. The set phases will again be vital in laying a solid foundation, while I would also like us to get the tempo up from early on," he said.
The match kicks off at 15:00. The Junior Springboks will meet England in their final UK tour match on Friday at the Sixways Stadium in Worcester.
Junior Springbok team to face Wales in Cardiff:
15 Gianni Lombard (Golden Lions), 14 Tyrone Green (Golden Lions), 13 Manuel Rass (Golden Lions), 12 Lyle Hendricks (Western Province), 11 Sihle Njezula (Western Province), 10 Lubabalo Dobela (Free State), 9 Zak Burger (Sharks), 8 Muller Uys (Western Province), 7 PJ Steenkamp (Golden Lions), 6 Dian Schoonees (Golden Lions), 5 Ben-Jason Dixon (Western Province), 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain, Western Province), 3 Sazi Sandi (Western Province), 2 Schalk Erasmus (Western Province), 1 Nathan McBeth (Golden Lions)
Substitutes: 16 Daniel Jooste (Western Province), 17 Tiaan van der Merwe (Golden Lions), 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Golden Lions), 19 Cohen Kiewit (Golden Lions), 20 Ruan Nortje (Blue Bulls), 21 Phendulani Buthelezi (Sharks), 22 Jack Hart (Golden Lions), 23 Wandisile Simelane (Golden Lions), 24 David Coetzer (Western Province), 25 Rikus Pretorius (Western Province)
