Gatland makes four changes ahead of Wales' clash with South Africa

AFP

Gatland watches over a Wales training session ahead of their match with South AfricaChris Fairweather/Huw Evans/Shut / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

Under-pressure Wales coach Warren Gatland (61) has made four changes to the starting XV thrashed by Australia to face South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday.

Wales went down 52-20 to the Wallabies last weekend in what was a record 11th successive Test defeat, with Gatland's future the feature of much speculation.

A defeat by the Springboks would consign Wales to an entire calendar year without winning a Test for the first time since 1937.

Gatland named Sam Costelow at fly-half for the daunting fixture against the double world champions, while Rio Dyer gets his first run out on the wing with Blair Murray switching to full-back in place of Cam Winnett.

Christ Tshiunza replaces the injured Adam Beard in the second row while Taine Plumtree starts at number eight instead of Aaron Wainwright.

Uncapped Gloucester forward Freddie Thomas and his club colleague Josh Hathaway are named on the replacements' bench.

Gatland said: "Last week's result hurts, and we are just as disappointed by it as the fans.

"Our focus now is on training and preparing well for our final game of this Autumn Nations Series.

"There were good elements that we can definitely build on going into Saturday, but we have to improve our accuracy.

"We know what a quality side South Africa are and the physicality they bring. This week we need to show real courage and front up against the world champions."

The Springboks, on the back of victories over Scotland and England, are heavy favourites to make it seven victories in the last eight games against Wales.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named his team on Tuesday.

While Gatland's Wales match-day squad of 23 boasts 334 caps, South Africa's bench alone has a total of 431. The 23 have 970 to highlight the gulf in experience between the two sides.

It is now more than 400 days since Wales won a Test: a victory over Georgia in the 2023 World Cup.

Gatland's second spell as Wales coach is proving markedly less successful than his first, from 2007 to 2019.

That yielded four Six Nations titles - including three Grand Slams and two appearances in World Cup semi-finals.

But the 61-year-old has found wins harder to come by since replacing compatriot Wayne Pivac as Wales coach in December 2022 and a loss to South Africa on Saturday could see a coaching change.