Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Tuesday, November 16.
Wales coach hails 'incredible' performance from prop
Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys has hailed the "incredible" performance of prop Dillon Lewis in the win over Fiji, as the tighthead put in a 75-minute shift after not training all week.
He had been suffering with issues with both of his feet and was not part of the matchday squad before being called onto the bench after late injury to Tomas Francis. He was then thrust into action for 75 minutes after WillGriff John suffered a concussion early on.
"I thought Dillon Lewis was incredible at the weekend, going on and playing 75 minutes after he hadn’t trained all week because of some issues with both feet", Humphreys told a press conference on Tuesday.
"For a tighthead to go 75 minutes while covering two bad feet was an incredible job for us."
As for the current state of play at tighthead, he said: "All the way through this, there has been a lot of stuff there and that’s fine. It has made us work harder.
"It just makes us go deeper, try and find solutions and you find out about people.
"The tanks right now are low, but I know that come the weekend we are going to be right and we are going to be ready for the fight, which it is going to be, against one of the best teams in the world, coached by one of the best coaches in the world."
You can read the full Q&A from the Wales coach here.
Read more: Wales injury bulletin as Lions Test star on standby for emergency role amid late calls
Wales duo Will Rowlands and WillGriff John unlikely to be fit for Australia
Humphreys says it is "unlikely" forwards Will Rowlands and WillGriff John will be fit for Saturday's Autumn Nations Series clash against Australia.
Lock Rowlands and prop John suffered head injuries during Wales' 38-23 victory over Fiji in Cardiff last weekend.
Humphreys said: "Regarding the two head injury assessments (Rowlands and John), they are following protocols, but I think it is unlikely they are going to be right.
"Tomas Francis is again following protocols, so we are a bit more hopeful on that."
Josh Adams and Aaron Wainwright to be late decisions
Wing Josh Adams, who was withdrawn from the starting line-up just before kick-off against Fiji due to a calf muscle issue, is also being monitored.
Humphreys added: "Hopefully, he is going to be right. It will probably be a last-minute clearance on that, but hopefully he is going to be right."
Number eight Aaron Wainwright has been recovering from a shoulder problem, and Humphreys said: "Again, it's going to be a late call.
"He has made significant improvement, so hopefully he will be involved at the weekend."
Australia name captain for Wales match after Michael Hooper ruled out
Australia have announced that prop James Slipper will captain the side against Wales on Saturday after Michael Hooper suffered a mid-foot sprain against England and will miss out.
The 32-year-old has played 113 tests for the Wallabies and has skippered them on just one previous occasion, against USA in 2015.
Hooper’s absence will be a massive blow for the Aussies, as they look to avoid a winless autumn tour in Europe for the first time since 1976 after losing to Scotland and England.
The Queensland-born player is a loosehead by trade but started at tighthead against England at Twickenham last week, with first choices Taniela Tupou and Allan Alaalatoa ruled out with head injuries.
Slipper will earn his 114th Australia cap when he leads them out at 5.30pm in the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Isolating Ellis Genge and Joe Marler helping England prepare from hotel rooms
Ellis Genge and Joe Marler have been helping plot South Africa's downfall from self-isolation as England prepare to face the world champions with a rookie front row.
Genge misses the climax to the autumn at Twickenham on Saturday after testing positive for coronavirus while Marler does not end his spell in quarantine until the eve of the game.
What role Marler will play in the rematch of the 2019 World Cup final will be revealed at Thursday's team announcement but given the absentees at prop and hooker, he is sure to be involved.
Jamie George has been ruled out because of a knee injury sustained in the 32-15 victory over Australia, becoming the second front line hooker lost to the treatment room in the wake of Luke Cowan-Dickie's ankle problem.
It leaves 23-year-old Jamie Blamire, who has scored six tries in four Tests but has made only three starts for his club Newcastle, to pack down in the number two jersey with the uncapped Nic Dolly offering cover from the bench.
At loosehead, 21-year-old Bevan Rodd will win a second cap after acquitting himself well on his Test bow when acting as emergency cover against the Wallabies as the established looseheads recovered from Covid.
Forwards coach Matt Proudfoot insists England refuse to be daunted by the prospect of facing the game's most feared scrum with such depleted resources as Genge and Marler lend their assistance from their hotel rooms.
"It's not just about what Joe has off the field, but what he has on the field as well. The front row have been in contact, they've been working together as a front row with Joe involved," Proudfoot said.
"He's been giving guys advice. Ellis has been giving advice as well. We try and keep it as tight as possible in the front row and there's a lot of knowledge to be passed on.
"Taking on the word champions is always a challenge and the scrum is going to be an area they're very strong at.
"We've worked incredibly hard, the players are quality players and they're determined to pull off the plan we've put into place and I'm sure it'll be a great contest.
"A big part of this England set-up is resilience. Every setback is an opportunity for us. You either attack it or you let the opportunity dictate.
"That's Eddie Jones' philosophy which the team have bought into. Whatever happens we see it as an opportunity. Whatever comes we'll attack it and make the best out of it.
"This is the most important game of the year for us. Our team is growing and developing. This is the most important hurdle for us."
South Africa make three changes to face England as Pollard returns
South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has made three changes to the Springboks starting XV for Saturday's Autumn Nations Series clash against England.
Handre Pollard and Cobus Reinach come into the side to form a fresh halfback pairing at Twickenham, with Elton and Herschel Jantjies dropping to the bench.
The other change from the side which started the 30-15 win over Scotland at Murrayfield sees Lood de Jager take over at lock from Franco Mostert, who also joins the replacements.
The last time the Springboks beat England at Twickenham was in 2014, but they won the most recent meeting between the two sides in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama - where fly-half Pollard slotted over six penalties and two conversions in a 32-12 victory.
Asked if he expected a backlash from Eddie Jones' side following that defeat, Nienaber said: "I won't know what Eddie is telling his players. From our perspective the World Cup has been so long ago.
"It's water under the bridge, you can't stay and live in that moment. You need to move on and we definitely did, even from the British and Irish Lions. It's new focus, new objectives and we are working towards France 2023.
"We built up good momentum in the Tests against Wales and Scotland, and it is important for us to transfer that into our final match of the tour against England, so we opted to make only three changes to the starting team.
"England will pose different threats to Scotland, and with that in mind we have decided to start with Handre, Cobus and Lood.
"Elton, Herschel and Franco have shown that they can inject energy and ignite a spark on attack off the bench, which will be handy against an English outfit that we know will be highly charged up for this match.
"England have made it clear that they'll come hard at us in this match, and with a few British and Irish Lions players in their midst, home ground advantage and a new record of eight wins in a row against Australia adding to their motivation this weekend, so we know it will be a hard grind."
South Africa team: W le Roux; J Kriel, L Am, D de Allende, M Mapimpi; H Pollard, C Reinach; O Nche, B Mbonambi, T Nyakane, E Etzebeth, L de Jager, S Kolisis (capt), K Smith, D Vermeulen.
Replacements: M Marx, S Kitshoff, V Koch, F Mostert, J Wiese, H Jantjies, E Jantjies, F Steyn.
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