Wales fullback Liam Williams has been ruled out of Sunday’s World Cup semi-final against South Africa after sustaining an ankle injury.
Williams, who has won 62 caps and started all of Wales’s World Cup games except one, is not expected to recover in time for their next match — either the final or third-place playoff.
Leigh Halfpenny has been named to replace the 28-year-old in one of three changes for the side. Wales are already without loose forward Josh Navidi, who injured his hamstring in their 20-19 quarter-final victory over France on Sunday, with Ross Moriarty called up as a replacement.
The Six Nations champions also kept a close watch on centre Jonathan Davies, who was ruled out of the quarter-final clash with a recurrence of a knee injury, and have named him in centres.
South Africa also suffered a big blow ahead of the semi-final when winger Cheslin Kolbe was ruled out of the game with injury.
The winner of Sunday’s semi-final will meet either England or New Zealand in the Nov. 2 World Cup final.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Josh Adams, Jonathan Davies, H Parkes, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies, Ross Moriarty, Aaron Waiwright, Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, Tomas Francis, Ken Owens, Wyn Jones. Repalcements: Elliot Dee, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Aaron Shingler, Tomos Williams, Rhys Patchell, Owen Watkin.