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Lions pair pulled out of Wales’ final World Cup warm-up match

17 Aug 2023

Wales fly half Dan Biggar leaves the field after the Six Nations Rugby match between Scotland and Wales at Murrayfield Stadium on February 11, 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

British and Irish Lions Liam Williams and Dan Biggar will miss Wales’ final World Cup warm-up game against South Africa on Saturday.

Both players had been selected to start the match in Cardiff, but have been withdrawn as a precautionary measure.

The Welsh Rugby Union said that full-back Williams had a tight hamstring, with Biggar suffering from back irritation.

Cai Evans is promoted from the replacements’ bench to make his Test debut as Williams’ replacement, while Sam Costelow replaces fly-half Biggar.

Evans’ spot on the bench is filled by Scarlets back Tom Rogers.

UPDATED WALES TEAM:

15. Cai Evans (Dragons)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys)
13. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby)
12. Johnny Williams (Scarlets)
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets)
9. Kieran Hardy (Scarlets)
1. Corey Domachowski ( Cardiff Rugby)
2. Elliot Dee (Dragons)
3. Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby)
4. Ben Carter (Dragons)
5. Will Rowlands (Dragons)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons)
7. Jac Morgan (Ospreys)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)

REPLACEMENTS:
16. Sam Parry (Ospreys)
17. Nicky Smith (Ospreys)
18. Henry Thomas (Montpellier)
19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby)
20. Taine Basham (Dragons)
21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby)
22. Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby)
23. Tom Rogers (Scarlets)

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Comments

1 Comment

Paul 708 days ago

Wales strength in raggas, as England strength, is important to world rugby.

Pitty that Wales think that they are on parity with England/ not a strong a team.

Hopefully the Boks don't embarras Wales (or me for stating this) too much.

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Comments on RugbyPass

SadersMan 15 minutes ago

'Most controversial call ever': Tizzano no-call lingers over Lions series win

I agree about the idiots who charge in recklessly at static rucks. But this one wasn’t that. Force was moderate, contact was to shoulder, height was low, & wrap was attempted.

12 Go to comments

GC 15 minutes ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 2nd Test 2025 Lions series

Harsh on Russell, not his best game but was the only thing giving the lions backs any go forward and aside from one out on the full, kicked brilliantly out of hand. Defended like a demon too as the ozzies constantly carried down his channel. Aki was poor and James lowe abominable.

6 Go to comments

GC 17 minutes ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 2nd Test 2025 Lions series

Morgan used both arms and was as low as you could go. Tizzano being a thespian and clutching at his head like a sniper had been at him was totally unsportsmanlike. Try all day long.

6 Go to comments

Diarmid Again 17 minutes ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 2nd Test 2025 Lions series

Idiotic ratings by someone who likes rugby but never tackled.

6 Go to comments

J Marc 20 minutes ago

What World Rugby say about Dan Sheehan's controversial Lions try

Maybe the right question to ask should have been: for the penalty, should the ball had been on the 5 m line or half a meter in front ?

8 Go to comments

SadersMan 21 minutes ago

Michael Hooper weighs in on Jac Morgan clear-out

The facts from the Referee, Assistant Referees & TMO was, “no foul play - try”.

I’m still bemused why the Wallabies didn’t smash this BILs team. It’s one of the weakest if not the weakest, I’ve ever seen. They were there for the taking in T1 & should’ve been put away in T2.

Yeah, losing a back with a 6/2 bench is unhelpful. But still. Must be frustrating but I didn’t really see a plan to increase the scoreboard pressure.

3 Go to comments

Toaster 23 minutes ago

Hugo Keenan's candid omission over series-winning try

Maybe he had an Emission 😃

2 Go to comments

Hammer Head 27 minutes ago

What World Rugby say about Dan Sheehan's controversial Lions try

Are you a baby? Go suckle or something to get over yourself.

8 Go to comments

SP 30 minutes ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 2nd Test 2025 Lions series

I suspect Tizzano’s theatrical head-holding act, when Morgan had made contact with his shoulders, might have played a part in the referee’s decision. A bit too soccer maybe?

6 Go to comments

Toaster 31 minutes ago

Michael Hooper weighs in on Jac Morgan clear-out

I think it was a poor non decision which is a shame as the Lions deserved the late win

All the facts stack up to it being a penalty at least

Agree but they Aussies gave it everyone in that first half hour

No one expected them to be up like that and to hold on until the last minute was incredible

What didn’t help was Potters injury as they then lost Tates speed in the second half and benching the two star forwards so early!!

3 Go to comments

SP 33 minutes ago

British & Irish Lions player ratings vs Wallabies | 2nd Test 2025 Lions series

It never ceases to amaze me how different people view players’ performances so differently. I thought Keenan’s first test performance was a masterclass in full back play. His positioning was faultless and only a player of his fitness could have covered the back field so effectively for 80 minutes. For me, even allowing for losing the ball to Robinson for his score, it was a 7.5/10 performance.

6 Go to comments

J Marc 36 minutes ago

'Most controversial call ever': Tizzano no-call lingers over Lions series win

Maybe you are right and australian player try to milk it a bit.

But I think the 2 Lions players ,at least the second, should have support his body weight. Once again, I think Lions deserved the win by far. But its just a cordial discussion of the ref décision…

And ,once again, I think these kind of kleaning will end very sadly. Not for the intention, most of these infrigments are absolutely accidental, but for one or two millimeters, it could be a tragedy…

12 Go to comments

SP 40 minutes ago

Hugo Keenan's candid omission over series-winning try

‘Omission’ or ‘Admission’? 😗

2 Go to comments

SadersMan 42 minutes ago

'Most controversial call ever': Tizzano no-call lingers over Lions series win

I really thought they had it the bag. The fact the BILs took so long to get ahead, despite the Wallabies making numerous errors, showed how winnable this game was. Bloody annoying.

12 Go to comments

SadersMan 45 minutes ago

'Most controversial call ever': Tizzano no-call lingers over Lions series win

Well, there was no head to head or shoulder to head contact. Or high degree of force. Or any force impact. Just a brush on the BACK of the neck which was more of a soft landing than a hit.

12 Go to comments

J Marc 47 minutes ago

'Most controversial call ever': Tizzano no-call lingers over Lions series win

12 Go to comments

SadersMan 50 minutes ago

Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Wait until after RWC? In a perfect world yes. And he will be. But last year was seen as transition & this season was always seen as change. Which is what we’ll be judging very closely.

261 Go to comments

JC 58 minutes ago

What World Rugby say about Dan Sheehan's controversial Lions try

You’re not the quickest are you? You should have changed your name that time to the lobotomised manatee after the author bullied you into it.

8 Go to comments

Hellhound 1 hour ago

Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Well Rassie's policy took the Boks to back to back WC Trophies. The ultimate pinnacle of Rugby world wide. That policy made the Boks the number 1 Test ranked side in the world. I'd say that is a winning policy. It made them the most successful team since 2019. Your thinking is flawed and biased and not based on actual real life facts. You want to see where each policy takes us. You are late to the game. The Boks policy has been ongoing since 2018. A very very successful one I might add 😂😂😂😂

261 Go to comments

SadersMan 1 hour ago

Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

There it is 👍

261 Go to comments

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