Some players need a kick up the backside - Gatland

Warren Gatland has won three Grand Slams with Wales in 2008, 2012 and 2019

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says some players will be given a "kick up the backside" when they meet up for the summer schedule later this month.

Gatland has named a 36-man training squad for the game against world champions South Africa at Twickenham on 22 June, with two players to be cut for the three-match tour of Australia in July.

That 34-strong party will play two Tests against the Wallabies in Sydney (6 July) and Melbourne (13 July) before a final friendly against Queensland Reds on 19 July.

Wales finished bottom of the Six Nations having lost all five games in the tournament for the first time since 2003.

The four Welsh professional sides had fitness tests a couple of weeks before the squad was named with Gatland not overly impressed with the results.

"There's some young players in here we're going to give some time to and there's probably a few players who were selected in the squad who need a kick up the backside as well," said Gatland.

"In terms of some of their performances and some of their testing results that weren't good enough or what we expect from a national perspective.

"We are where we are at the moment. I do see light at the end of the tunnel and we've got to make sure we get back to the expectations and work hard to improve performances and results."

South Africa waiting in the wings

The programme starts with a game against the Springboks on the same day as the United Rugby Championship final.

South Africa have two teams, Bulls and Stormers, in the play-offs alongside Welsh side Ospreys.

Players from both Wales and Springboks will be missing because the match falls outside World Rugby's international window.

"I'm excited by the challenge of meeting the world champions Springboks in terms of creating some confidence and self-belief in this group of players," said Gatland.

"South Africa will be missing a few players as well, but whatever team they put out we know they won't be small. They'll be big and physical."

The four games in the summer programme will take Wales' season tally to 18 internationals but Gatland wants to expose his players to Test match rugby.

"I was trying to get as many games as we possibly could this summer," said Gatland.

"At one stage we were looking at playing Samoa, and I would have jumped at that, because this group of young players need as many games as they can possibly get to gain that experience.

"It is a lot of work for the coaching staff and we realised the challenge we've got, but it is our job to work them hard and make them better.

"They have to learn about the pressures of playing international rugby, how hard it is and what it takes to succeed.

"We are conscious there are a few holes in terms of depth in certain positions and we've got to increase the depth and competition for places."

Former Exeter Chiefs and Ospreys prop Tomas Francis has won 77 Wales caps

Prop Francis has not retired

One of those is at tight-head prop, Gatland naming five in the squad with the recalled Henry Thomas joining Dillon Lewis, Harri O'Connor, Keiron Assiratti and Archie Griffin.

Leon Brown is injured, while Provence prop Tomas Francis is still absent after missing the Six Nations.

"He hasn't finished but we didn't consider him at this stage," said Gatland.

"He made the decision to go and play in France, but we will stay in contact with him.

"He definitely hasn't retired. When you look at the tight-heads we've picked there is a real concern for us in terms of experience, as well as players not starting regularly."