[2] He named an initial squad of 27 for the tour, including five uncapped players, all forwards for the Pontypridd side that won the Principality Cup and reached the final of the Parker Pen Shield: Mefin Davies, Gethin Jenkins, Robert Sidoli, Richard Parks and Michael Owen; there were also recalls for lock Steve Williams, five years after his last appearance, and prop Ben Evans.

[12] Full-back Percy Montgomery ruled himself out of the national trial game on 19 May after expressing a desire to move to Europe;[13] he signed for Newport on 29 May 2002, joining fellow former Springbok Adrian Garvey.

[18] His initial squad for the tour included seven South Africans, among them loosehead prop Robbie Kempson, who had recently ended his international career after agreeing a move to Ulster.

[20] Seven players pulled out of the game against Wales, having picked up injuries against England, prompting the short-notice call-ups of the likes of Doddie Weir, Jamie Noon and former Cardiff wing Liam Botham.

Dwayne Peel started at scrum-half in place of the retired Rob Howley; his half-back partner was his Llanelli teammate Stephen Jones, following a groin injury to Iestyn Harris, while Neil Jenkins provided outside half cover from the bench.

Coach Steve Hansen waited to name his full bench until after the Parker Pen Shield final, resting his decision on the fitness of the Pontypridd forwards involved in that game: Gethin Jenkins, Robert Sidoli, Richard Parks and Michael Owen.

[22] Following the injury to Chris Anthony in training for the game,[23] Ben Evans was promoted from the bench to the starting line-up, allowing Jenkins to take his place among the replacements, joined by Sidoli and Parks; Owen was the only one of the Ponty four to miss out.

At the interval, brought Jenkins and Parks on in place of Iestyn Thomas and Martyn Williams, and within a minute of the restart he was forced into another change as Jamie Robinson came on for the injured Andy Marinos.