Wales head into tough ties without key quartet

WALES will be without four key players for next month's clash against world champions South Africa and the two-Test tour of New Zealand.

Flanker Martyn Williams, centre James Hook, scrum- half Dwayne Peel and lock Luke Charteris are all confirmed absentees.

Williams, who will be 35 in September, and Peel are both to be rested, while Hook will undergo shoulder surgery once the Ospreys' Magners League title assault is over. And Newport Gwent Dragons forward Charteris is currently recovering from a neck problem.

Wales coach Warren Gatland is due to name his squad on Sunday for the 5 June Springboks clash in Cardiff, which is followed by appointments with the All Blacks in Dunedin and Hamilton.

"We have some depth in these positions with the likes of Jamie Roberts, Andrew Bishop and Jonathan Davies playing well at the moment at centre," said Gatland.

"We are okay in the second-row as well, and Sam Warburton has been pushing Martyn really hard for a back-row spot at Cardiff Blues, as well as at international level.

"South Africa in Cardiff, and then two Tests in New Zealand, means we have a tough summer ahead of us. But this is exactly the position we need to be in, and it will be perfect preparation for the World Cup.

"Games don't come much tougher than playing the world champion South Africans, and (Springboks coach) Peter de Villiers has a wide range of talent to choose from," he added.

"If we could win that game it would be a great platform for our summer tour.

"As for New Zealand, we just need to believe in ourselves and perform like we know we can – then, we will have a chance.

"France won a game there (New Zealand) last year and Ireland ran them close as well, so we know it can be done.

"But we are also keen to familiarise the players with our (2011) World Cup venues and training bases. It's not until I left New Zealand that I realised that it is such a difficult place to tour, and we want the players to have that experience, training at the same venues and staying in the same hotels as we will in 2011."