Wales team news v South Africa as George North and Dan Lydiate return with Tomas Francis left on the bench

George North and Dan Lydiate will return to the international arena when Wales face South Africa on Saturday, with premier tight-head Tomas Francis on the bench.

North lines up at centre, with Lydiate at blindside flanker as both arrive back on the big stage having missed out on international call-ups since the 2021 Six Nations due to serious knee injuries.

They are part of a Wales starting XV which sees eight changes from the run-on side that lost 22-21 to Italy on the final day of the Six Nations. Francis, meanwhile, will ride the pine with Dillon Lewis filling the No. 3 shirt. The Ospreys prop was battling a back injury last week but he may also be on the bench in a bid to neutralise the replacement Springbok loose-head Steven Kitshoff, who is just as strong as starter Ox Nche.

Juggernaut North is joined in the midfield by Nick Tompkins, while Liam Williams comes back into the side at full-back, completing the back three with Gloucester flyer Louis Rees-Zammit and Cardiff try machine Josh Adams. Dan Biggar captains the side from fly-half, with Kieran Hardy getting his chance as the scrum-half carousel continues to go around.

In the back-row, Leicester's Premiership winner Tommy Reffell will make his Wales debut at openside despite only having a handful of training sessions with the squad, with Lydiate and the dependable Taulupe Faletau in the back-row. Josh Navidi will have to wait for his opportunity on the bench.

Former skipper Alun Wyn Jones has been dropped having started the Italy debacle, with Will Rowlands reinstated alongside Adam Beard. Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias and Ospreys loose-head Gareth Thomas complete the front row alongside Lewis.

Gareth Anscombe, who arrived in South Africa 48 hours late having