On Now
Weekdays 15:00 - 18:00
The Joyride Nico, Nikki and JayBee
Show Background
NEXT: 18:00 - 19:00 OFM Business Hour with Olebogeng
Listen Live Streams

Rugby

Halfpenny replaces injured Williams at fullback for Wales

───   14:43 Fri, 25 Oct 2019

Halfpenny replaces injured Williams at fullback for Wales | News Article
Leigh Halfpenny - Getty

Wales coach Warren Gatland made three changes to the team that beat France, with fit-again Jonathan Davies back at centre for their semi-final against the Springboks on Sunday.


They will be without Liam Williams, who has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup.

Williams suffered an ankle injury during an accidental collision in training on Wednesday and will be replaced by Leigh Halfpenny, pictured, in one of three changes to the side that started the quarter-final against France.

Naming his side on Friday, Gatland confirmed that Jonathan Davies had recovered from the knee injury which forced him to miss the victory over Les Bleus.

Wales had already lost back-row forward Josh Navidi, whose tournament is over after tearing a hamstring against France. His place at No 8 goes to Ross Moriarty.

Halfpenny, 30, who missed the 2015 tournament through injury, is a vastly experienced replacement for Williams, having won 84 caps.

The 28-year-old Williams had been bidding to add to the three titles he has collected this year. He won the European Champions Cup and English Premiership with Saracens and completed the Six Nations Grand Slam with Wales.

Wales - 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Wyn Jones.

Replacements - 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Aaron Shingler, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Owen Watkin.

Springboks - 15 Willie le Roux, 14 S'bu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements - 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Francois Louw, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn.

@ 2026 OFM - All rights reserved Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | We Use Cookies - OFM is a division of Central Media Group (PTY) LTD.