By Country / Wales

Wales captain Ryan Jones believes that a severely depleted Wales are still capable of beating South Africa when the two sides meet in June.

The Grand Slam winners will be missing Gavin Henson, Mike Phillips, Lee Byrne, Martyn Williams, Dwayne Peel and Huw Bennett for the two Tests, the first in Bloemfontein on June 7th. And despite losing all six previous games in South Africa, skipper Jones is still up for a scrap.

"I'm hugely excited by it, it's probably the greatest place to go and play Test rugby. They're fanatical, it's a huge challenge but I'm all for the big tests, the big occasions and the big pressure.

“We hadn't beaten England at Twickenham for God knows how long before this year and I've always said that what's happened in the past has no bearing on what happens next Saturday," Jones told the Beeb.

South Africa have injury concerns of their own, with Fourie du Preez and Heini Adams both out. Their 30-man squad for the Tests will be announced on Wednesday.

Ospreys hooker Richard Hibbard has been called up to Wales' training squad after teammate Huw Bennet was ruled out of the two-Test tour to South Africa.

Bennett suffered ankle ligament damage during Shane Williams' testimonial match and will not travel.

He is one of seven Grand Slamers to miss out including Martyn Williams, Lee Byrne, Gavin Henson, Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel.

Colin Charvis has been dramatically overlooked by Warren Gatland in the Welsh squad for the summer tour to World Cup champions, South Africa.

Charvis was at the centre of a mini club v country row following the Dragons refusal to release him for a Welsh training camp in Dublin. Now it seems Wales' most capped forward is likely to call an end to his distinguished career, excluding a few of those dodgy barnets.

Uncapped trio Bradley Davies, Warren Fury and Andrew Bishop are included while Daffyd James acts as Charvis' natural replacement.

High profile absentees include Martyn Williams, Dwayne Peel, Gavin Henson, Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips, making Gatland's job of defending his 100% record as coach almost impossible.

The first Test is in Bloemfontein on June 7.

Wales squad

Backs: Morgan Stoddart, Andrew Bishop, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Tom James, Mark Jones, Sonny Parker, Tom Shanklin, Stephen Jones, James Hook, Andy Williams, Warren Fury, Gareth Cooper.

Forwards: Ryan Jones (Captain), Dafydd Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Delve, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Gough, Duncan Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Huw Bennett

Warren Gatland’s injury concerns continue after Gavin Henson was ruled out of Wales’ tour of South Africa.

Despite not being named in Wales’ 24-man training squad to travel to Ireland, it was hoped that the Ospreys man would recover from his damaged ankle ligaments in time for the trip. But Henson has been forced to undergo keyhole surgery on the injury sustained in Ospreys’ Heinken Cup quarter-final defeat three weeks ago, ruling him out altogether.

Despite being a big miss for Wales and his club side, who still have three games remaining in the Magners League, it will at least give him some time off to focus on the main thing – cultivating a new hairstyle.