Green light for Wales trial

The green light has been given to pit two squads against each other on Friday, May 30 before picking the 31 men for June’s two Tests against the Springboks and warm-up clash with Eastern Province Kings.

Wales assistant coach Rob Howley will be in charge of the probables and forwards coach Robin McBryde will be the boss for the possibles.

The squads, which are being named on Tuesday, will train separately with Howley assisted by national defence coach Shaun Edwards and Scarlets forwards coach Danny Wilson while national kicking coach Neil Jenkins and Cardiff Blues’ Dale McIntosh will help out McBryde.

The possibles will need to put in a pretty impressive performance to make the cut for South Africa as boss Warren Gatland will his 31-man squad immediately after the game.

"It's a good opportunity for the players but it’s also important for us in our short-term as well as long-term preparation,” said the New Zealander.

"The trial will enable us to work with the extended squad and see those players in our environment as preparations ramp up for next year's World Cup.

"It's a chance for players to experience the set-up and round off a week's training with us in a meaningful match and hopefully put their hand up for this summer's tour.

"The tour itself is going to be extremely tough and the game will be important in ensuring we don't head into it cold,” he continued.

"The majority of the squad would not have played for four or five weeks and we need to hit the ground running.

"The Springboks are immersed in Super Rugby right up to the tour and then have a game against a World XV the week before the first test so they certainly won't be under cooked.”

Tickets for the trial cost £5 for adults and £1 for children and go on sale on Tuesday. Any profit from the game, together with a modest donation, will be provided to the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust. More details at www.wru.co.uk/prereg