Wales coach Warren Gatland named four uncapped players on Monday in a squad of 36 for tests against world champions South Africa and Australia over the next six weeks.
Scrum-half Ellis Bevan and fullback Jacob Beetham, along with wingers Keelan Giles and Josh Hathaway, have a chance to win their first caps after being included among the 22 forwards and 14 backs.
Gatland has given breaks to Josh Adams, after an injury-plagued season, Ryan Elias and Will Rowlands while Adam Beard misses out due to injury.
Ben Carter, Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree and Christ Tshiunza return after missing this year’s Six Nations Championship due to injury while Liam Williams was playing in Japan. Wales lost all five games to finish bottom of the championship.
Gatland will lead the side despite offering his resignation following their poor run of results.
Gatland said he had selected a bigger squad because Wales will not be able to field English-based players in the test against South Africa at Twickenham on June 22. That includes Six Nations captain Dafydd Jenkins.
They will reduce the squad to 34 players for the trip to Australia, which includes two tests; the first on July 6 in Sydney and the second on July 13 in Melbourne.
“I think everyone appreciates and realises we’re building towards 2027. There were moments during the Six Nations where we played some really good rugby and put the opposition teams under some pressure, but we probably weren’t accurate enough,” Gatland said in a statement.
“The big focus for us is about our game management and to get better with that. But we also want to improve our collision dominance whether that’s attack or defence and create some more depth and competition within the squad.”
Squad:
Backs: Jacob Beetham, Ellis Bevan (both Cardiff), Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies (both Scarlets), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Keelan Giles (Ospreys), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Josh Hathaway (Gloucester), Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Kubota Spears), Cameron Winnett (Cardiff)
Forwards: Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Ben Carter, Elliot Dee (both Dragons), Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Archie Griffin (Bath), Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Harlequins), Evan Lloyd, Mackenzie Martin (both Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Harri O’Connor (Scarlets), Sam Parry (Ospreys), Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Matthew Screech (Dragons), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Henry Thomas (Castres), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).