Four changes for USA Test

Chris Wyatt wins a recall for the Test against USA

Graham Henry has made four changes to the side that thrashed Samoa last weekend for Saturday's Test against the USA.

Dafydd James comes in at left wing for Shane Williams, who has a slight hamstring strain and Nathan Budget at blind-side flanker for Geraint Lewis.

The Ebbw Vale pair of Iestyn Thomas and Deiniol Jones, who made their debuts against the Samoans make way for Darren Morris and Chris Wyatt respectively.

Morris' inclusion at loose-head prop gives Wales an all-Swansea front row as he joins club colleagues Ben Evans and Garin Jenkins.

We want continuity and not too many changes, but for this Welsh side we need to keep people on their toes

  Graham Henry

Gareth Thomas, who was originally left out of all Wales' international squads, returns to the bench.

Wales had originally hoped to include him as a replacement for Tuesday's Development game against the USA, but the Eagles objected as this would have given Wales eight replacements.

"The changes reflect form last weekend," said Wales coach Graham Henry.

"The players who have come in played well in the A side against New Zealand A last weekend.

"We want continuity and not too many changes, but for this Welsh side we need to keep people on their toes," Henry explained.

Henry has given another chance to Llanelli second-row Chris Wyatt, a player he dropped last season after questioning his professionalism.

"We have given him an opportunity, he has served his sentence," Henry said.

Chris Wyatt: Not taking place for granted

"He has played well at this level and has proved that before and I am sure he has learnt from previous experience," he added.

Wyatt was not taking his place in the side for granted.

"At the back of my mind is the thought I almost messed it up once and I am not letting that happen again," he said.

Wyatt was dropped for the second half of Wales' Six Nations campaign last season and was honest about the reasons for his fall from grace.

"Off the filed there were things that were frowned upon before, but hopefully they have gone out of the window," he said.

Henry refused to speculate on the reasons behind Gareth Thomas' omission from the original squads, saying "I would rather not go into that."

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Wales team to play USA at the Millennium Stadium on 18 November 2000:

R Williams (Cardiff), A Bateman (Northampton), M Taylor (Swansea, capt), S Gibbs (Swansea), D James (Llanelli); A Thomas (Swansea), R Howley (Cardiff); D Morris (Swansea), G Jenkins (Swansea), B Evans (B Evans), C Wyatt (Lanelli), I Gough (Newport), C Charvis (Swansea), S Quinnell (Llanelli), N Budgett (Ebbw Vale).
Replacements: A Lewis (Cardiff), I Thomas (Ebbw Vale), A Moore (Swansea), G Lewis (Swansea), N Jenkins (Cardiff), R Moon (Llanelli), G Thomas (Cardiff).

Wales A squad to face South Africa at the Millennium Stadium, 22 November 2000:

M Cardey (Llanelli), M Robinson (Swansea), J Robinson (Cardiff), A Durston (Bridgend), A Marinos (Newport), C Morgan (Cardiff), S Jones (Llanelli), C Warlow (Bridgend), P John (Pontypridd), G Cooper (Bath), P Rogers (Cardiff), C Anthony (Swansea), J Humphreys (Cardiff), R McBryde (Llanelli, capt), S John (Cardiff), D Jones (Ebbw Vale), J Griffiths (Swansea), C Stephens (Bridgend), M Williams (Cardiff), G Thomas (Bath), E Lewis (Cardiff), A Popham (Newport)