Wales' new pecking order in every position as stars cement their worth in South Africa but successor needed

So just what is the Wales pecking order looking like right now on the back of the tour of South Africa? How are things looking in terms of squad depth for next season with a number of players set to become available again?

Rugby correspondent Simon Thomas surveys the scene and considers what the Welsh team is likely to look like come the start of the autumn campaign.

This is one position where Wales could really do with developing more depth. Liam Williams, now 31, was the only specialist full-back out in South Africa and keeping him fit through to the World Cup will be absolutely vital. Johnny McNicholl will return to offer a seasoned alternative, but he is 32 in September while Leigh Halfpenny will be 34 later this year and is still rehabbing from the horrendous knee injury he suffered 12 months ago.

So what about younger options coming through? Well, there is no doubting the natural talent of Ioan Lloyd, but he has slipped out of the international reckoning somewhat and seems to be focusing more on the centre with Bristol. The Scarlets’ versatile Tom Rogers is one player who could kick on, with Mat Protheroe ever eager to break into the frame, while Cam Winnett showed quick-footed potential for the U20s in the summer series, but he is more one for the 2027 World Cup. For now then, Liam remains very much at the top of the pecking order.

There are three men some distance ahead of the pack here in Louis Rees-Zammit, Josh Adams and Alex Cuthbert. Wayne Pivac clearly likes the physicality and experience the 32-year-old Cuthbert offers. He may well have started the first Test against the Springboks but for a niggle and was then drafted in for the re-match only to damage his shoulder early on. That left Rees-Zammit and Adams