JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<form method="get" name="form_delivery">

  Please select country for delivery<br>

  <select name="deliverymethod">
    <option value="0" selected="selected">Select country / region</option>
    <option value="1">UK (incl. Northern Ireland)</option>
    <option value="8">Australia</option>
    <option value="9">New Zealand</option>
  </select>

</form>

CSS

span{
    background:#F00;
}

JavaScript

var $form = $('form[name=form_delivery]')
$form.contents().filter(function(){
    return this.nodeType == 3;
}).eq(0).wrapAll('<span></span>').closest('span').prependTo($form);