The shaken-up Wales team likely to play South Africa this summer with nine changes and another key positional switch

There are plenty who’ll want new faces hurried into Wales team plans after the calamitous 22-21 reverse against Italy — but where are the fresh personnel to be found?

The regional teams are largely struggling, with few players demanding inclusion in Wayne Pivac’s plans. And while there are injured players still to return to rugby, the reality is the team the head coach sends out for the first Test against South Africa in the summer will mainly be made up of players who were in his squad when he came to selecting for the game with Italy.

That doesn’t mean it will be the same XV as the side who started against the Azzurri. That would be odd.

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Possibly, there could be as many as nine changes and maybe a key positional switch to factor in as well. There have been warnings some might not play for Wales again and certainly many can expect to step aside come the Springboks clash, at least.

Assuming he remains in charge, here’s how we think Pivac’s pick will unfold for the first game with the world champions at Loftus Versfeld on July 2, the first of three Tests against South Africa in the summer.

Still no real challenger to Williams, with Leigh Halfpenny apparently a fair way off returning after his knee injury. Johnny McNicholl started well against Italy, taking a number of high balls, but he mixed the good with the bad thereafter.

Williams hasn’t been perfect in this Six Nations but there have been glimpses of his quality. Wales will want him to be at his very best for the tests that await in South Africa.

Should consider himself unfortunate to have been left out for the game with the Azzurri after a stellar