South Africa v Wales: Tomas Francis ruled out of Springboks series

Tomas Francis suffered a concussion as he tried to make a tackle just moments after coming on against South Africa

Wales prop Tomas Francis is out of the tour to South Africa after suffering concussion in last Saturday's first Test defeat.

The 30-year-old was carried off after sustaining a head blow shortly after coming off the bench in the second half in Pretoria.

No replacement has been called up.

Dillon Lewis, who started the first Test, and uncapped pair Sam Wainwright and Harri O'Connor are the remaining tight-head options in Wales' squad.

Leon Brown and Samson Lee were unavailable for the Springboks series due to injury.

Wales had hoped Ospreys' Francis would be able to feature in the third Test in Cape Town on Saturday, 16 July, after completing at least a 12-day compulsory stand-down period.

Instead Wainwright, of Saracens, and Scarlets' O'Connor will have the chance to earn a place in Wayne Pivac's matchday squad for the two remaining Tests.

Forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys had earlier expressed the hope Francis would be able to play again on tour, but insisted the priority was his health and the decision would be in the medics' hands.

Francis suffered a head injury against England during the Six Nations in February 2022.

On that occasion, he temporarily left the field for an independent head injury assessment before returning to play.

Wales were criticised for not replacing him permanently at the time and a Six Nations review later found Francis should have been "immediately and permanently removed from play" after his head injury.

• Pick your Wales XV for second South Africa Test

Francis had arrived in South Africa nursing a back injury and with Brown and Lee injured, giving Wainwright and O'Connor their tour chances.

Humphreys has dismissed the possibility of British and Irish loose-head Wyn Jones being asked to cover the other side of the scrum, a job he did during the 2019 World Cup.

"We've got two other tight-heads that we've brought out with us in Sam and Harri so it's a massive opportunity for either one of those," added Humphreys.

"It's a hell of an opportunity for anybody, especially two very committed young professionals like those two.

"It's a massive positive for them and for us because it increases our depth in that area and that's what we're after.

"I'm confident that they're ready to take on the occasion. They're extremely impressive young people and they've worked their socks off since they've been over here. They've fitted right in.

"I'm confident the occasion won't be too much for them and they'll go out there and give everything they've got."

Humphreys says Wales will bounce back from the disappointment of losing to the final kick of the game in Pretoria.

"Everybody is disappointed," added Humphreys.

"It was a good effort. We stuck largely to what we said we were going to do, especially in the first half.

"To lose in the last minute of any Test, especially this one at a full house in Loftus, is a tough one.

"It's not hard to pick yourselves up. We talked about that in the changing room afterwards and the big thing for us we have to be better than we were on Saturday.

"We have to improve if we are going to get what we want out of this tour. It is a lot of work we need to do and we are prepared to do that."