Wales caretaker coach Nigel Davies has kept Gavin Henson in his cut-down 24 man squad for the Millennium Stadium Test against South Africa on Saturday.

 
But Shane Williams (thigh) and Matthew Rees (hand) miss out due to injury.

Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper, Morgan Stoddart, Adam Jones and Ian Gough are cut from the 31 men named last week.

That leaves full-back Lee Byrne, rookie wing Tom James, prop Rhys Thomas and his namesake hooker Rhys Thomas set for places in the team, named on Tuesday.

Veteran flanker Colin Charvis is hotly tipped to start at open-side as the other contender, Robin Sowden-Taylor, is being kept out of the Blues team by Martyn Williams, who has retired from Test rugby.

The Springboks match will be Davies’ only game as coach before Warren Gatland takes over in December.

Davies had promised to base his final cut on the weekend’s Heineken Cup action.

After disappointing performances from all four regional teams, Adam Jones, Gough and Stoddart are the major casualties, while Williams missed the Ospreys loss at Gloucester and Rees picked up his hand injury in the Scarlets’ defeat to Wasps.

The hooker is expected to be out for around six weeks.

Henson last played for Wales on the summer tour to Australia, but missed out on World Cup selection because his fitness was not at the required level after long injury absences.

He has been in regular regional action this season, but there have been doubts that he is back to his best, Wales legend Phil Bennett saying that it is “debatable” whether he is ready for a Test return.

“It hasn’t been a great weekend results-wise for our regional teams, but certain players have still been able to put their hands up and get themselves selected for the squad to face the world champions,” said Davies.

“Henson has moved his game on another step and is showing signs of playing like his old self again. He offers us a variety of options and the whole of Wales is looking forward to seeing his form continue to improve.

“Shane Williams would be a loss for any team, but Tom James is an exciting winger who gets the opportunity to come into the fold and he is a quality prospect for the future.

“Byrne is back in the frame and his presence at full-back and his big left boot have edged Stoddart out of contention – although the young Scarlet is also definitely one for the future.

“In the forwards, Michael Owen is someone who has caught the eye in particular alongside Luke Charteris for the Dragons.

“Prop Rhys Thomas has been on our radar at a national level for some time and he has been impressive since returning from injury.”

World Cup captain Gareth Thomas missed out on the original squad, along with Will James, the injured Chris Horsman, Kevin Morgan and Dafydd James.

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Wales squad to face South Africa:

Backs: Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Mark Jones (Scarlets), Tom James (Blues), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Jamie Robinson (Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Michael Phillips (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets)

Forwards: Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Alix Popham (Scarlets), Colin Charvis (Dragons), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Michael Owen (Dragons), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Rhys Thomas (Dragons), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), T Rhys Thomas (Blues), Gethin Jenkins (Blues, capt), Duncan Jones (Ospreys)

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