Wales name uncapped prop Sam Wainwright as Leon Brown’s replacement

Tighthead has played just 18 first team games for Saracens

(Getty Images)

Uncapped Saracens prop Sam Wainwright has been called into Wales’ South Africa tour squad as replacement for Leon Brown.

The Welsh Rugby Union said that Brown had failed to recover from a nerve issue suffered on club duty.

And his place in Wayne Pivac’s 33-man squad has gone to 24-year-old Wainwright.

Wainwright, who was born in North Wales, will link up with the squad after the Gallagher Premiership season finishes.

Saracens face a Premiership play-off clash against reigning league champions Harlequins on Saturday.

And if they topple Quins, a Twickenham final appointment with Leicester or Northampton awaits on June 18.

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac will oversee a three-Test tour of South Africa (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)

Wainwright, a Wales Under-20 international, has played 18 games for Saracens, having joined them in 2019.

Wales ended this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship with a home defeat against Italy, and they face the world champion Springboks in three Tests.

The first game is in Pretoria on July 2, followed by Bloemfontein seven days later, and then Cape Town on July 16.