The Lions squad included 12 senior Wales players, resulting in 12 uncapped players being named in the 32-man squad for the tour, which was captained by centre Jamie Roberts.[8] Ospreys lock Bradley Davies missed the tour due to the impending birth of his second child,[9] while 38-cap veteran hooker Richard Hibbard was also omitted,[10] and prop Gethin Jenkins missed the tour after undergoing knee surgery.[11] Wing Steff Evans' place on the tour was put into doubt when he was sent off in the Scarlets' win over Munster in the Pro12 semi-finals;[12] however, the red card was rescinded and he was cleared to play.[13] Full-back Rhun Williams suffered an ankle injury in the Cardiff Blues' European Champions Cup qualifying match against Stade Français;[14] he was subsequently replaced in the squad by Exeter Chiefs full-back Phil Dollman,[15] only for Dollman to injure his knee in Exeter's win over Wasps in the English Premiership final on 27 May.[16] The Scarlets' Rhys Patchell was called up to the training squad while Dollman's injury was assessed,[17] before Dollman eventually pulled out on 5 June.[18] Forward James King was injured in the Ospreys' loss to Munster in the Pro12 play-off semi-finals and replaced in the squad by Scarlets flanker Aaron Shingler.[19] Shingler's teammates, props Samson Lee (knee) and Rob Evans (hand), and lock Jake Ball (shoulder), also pulled out due to injury; Ball missed the Pro12 final against Munster due to his injury, while Lee and Evans were injured during the match.[17][20] Evans was replaced in the squad by Ospreys prop Gareth Thomas, while fellow Osprey Rhodri Jones joined the training squad as Lee's injury was assessed,[17] before finally replacing Lee on 5 June.[18] Four of the Wales squad – Tomas Francis, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill and Gareth Davies – were called up to play for the Lions midway through the tour.[21]
Wales scheduled a two-test tour for summer 2017, in which they would play against Tonga and Samoa. The second match was scheduled for the Samoan capital, Apia, but the facilities in Tonga led World Rugby to name Auckland, New Zealand, as a contingency venue.[22] Renovations of the Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nukuʻalofa were expected to be completed in June 2017, but not in time for the Wales game. An assessment of the facilities in Tonga took place in December 2016,[23] but with the pitch not yet in place, the WRU met with World Rugby to further discuss the contingency of moving the fixture to New Zealand.[24] In February 2017, the uncertainty over the readiness of the new stadium meant it was confirmed that the game would not be played in Tonga,[25] and in May 2017, the game was officially moved to Auckland, to be played on 16 June, a day earlier than originally scheduled.[26]
Wales' first match on tour was against Tonga, played at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, due to the facilities in Nukuʻalofa not being ready in time for the match. Coach Robin McBryde named three uncapped players in his starting XV – lock Seb Davies, flanker Thomas Young and wing Steff Evans – while a further six were named on the bench.[29] Fly-half Sam Davies opened the scoring with a penalty, before Alex Cuthbert scored the first try of the game midway through the first half, though Davies missed the conversion. Sonatane Takulua responded with a penalty for Tonga, but despite Davies hitting the post with two more kicks, Wales took an 8–3 lead into half-time. Another Takulua penalty three minutes into the second half cut the Tonga deficit to two points, but three more penalties from Sam Davies pushed Wales out to a 17–6 lead before a last-minute penalty try gave them a 24–6 win.[30]
Wales' second and final match on tour saw them face Samoa in Apia. The home side had lost 78–0 to New Zealand the previous week, in the second match of a double-header at Eden Park, following Wales' win over Tonga.[31] With Tomas Francis, Kristian Dacey, Cory Hill and Gareth Davies called up to the British & Irish Lions' squad, and Alex Cuthbert injured in the win over Tonga, coach Robin McBryde was forced into making seven changes from that side. Dillon Lewis, Ryan Elias, Rory Thornton and Aled Davies replaced the Lions call-ups, while Cory Allen replaced Cuthbert; Tyler Morgan came in for centre Scott Williams, while Ellis Jenkins took over from openside flanker Thomas Young in the two unforced changes. Meanwhile, Samoa made six changes from the team that lost to New Zealand.[32]
Ten of the Wales team fell ill before the match,[33] and they went behind early thanks to a try from Alapati Leiua, converted by Tusi Pisi, who also kicked a penalty; in response, Sam Davies kicked three penalties for Wales to ensure they went into half-time only a point down. Steff Evans' try just after the break put Wales into the lead for the first time in the match, but Manu Leiataua's try meant the lead lasted just 10 minutes; however, Evans scored another try – his second in as many international appearances – eight minutes from the end to give Wales a 19–17 win, their first in Samoa for 31 years.[34]
