Uncapped second-row duo Dafydd Jenkins and Rhys Davies have been called up to Wales' squad for the remainder of the Autumn Nations Series.
They replace Dragons lock Will Rowlands and Ospreys back-row Dan Lydiate, who both picked up injuries in the 20-13 win over Argentina on Saturday. Rowlands sustained a shoulder injury, while Lydiate has suffered a broken arm.
As such, Wayne Pivac has turned to a pair of young second-rows - Exeter's Jenkins and Ospreys' Davies - ahead of games against Georgia and Australia.
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Both players have been on Wales' radar for some time now. Jenkins had been tipped to tour South Africa in the summer, and was recently earmarked as a bolter for next year's World Cup in France.
As for Davies, his club coach Toby Booth revealed last month that he was another player who Pivac and his coaching ticket were monitoring closely.
“Rhys is a very good player who’s learning all the time," said Booth. "He is very diligent and tough — he plays tough. He’s been into a couple of Welsh camps for them to have a look at him. We’re all joined up about where we can get him to. The fact that he’s been invited into those camps means they see him as a player of potential, as do we. So that’s exciting.”
Rowlands left the action on Saturday late in the game, forcing replacement hooker Ryan Elias to pack down on the flank and No. 8 Taulupe Faletau to switch to the second-row.
Lydiate was forced off after just 28 minutes against Argentina. Afterwards, Pivac paid tribute to Lydiate for taking to the field following the death of his father, John. Despite personal heartache, the Ospreys flanker wanted to play in his father’s honour, with the team wearing black armbands.
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