South Africa Squad for Wales Series 2022 – Springboks 30-14 Wales

Sarah Mockford

The Springboks beat Wales in Cape Town to close out a 2-1 Test series win

South Africa Squad for Wales Series 2022

South Africa overpowered Wales in Cape Town to win this Test series 2-1.

They were fast out of the blocks in the deciding third Test, with Handre Pollard scoring within 15 minutes and Bongi Mbonambi touching down just before the break to give the Springboks a 17-8 half-time lead.

Their ill-discipline allowed Wales to reduce the Boks’ lead to just three points with a couple of penalties early in the second half, but Siya Kolisi powered over for the third try to put them in control.

They held off Wales in the final ten minutes and a couple of Pollard penalties as the match drew to a close made it a relatively comfortable 30-14 victory.

South Africa team to play Wales – Saturday 16 July

Damian Willemse; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, Elrigh Louw, Faf de Klerk, Willie le Roux.

Second Test – South Africa 12-13 Wales

South Africa suffered their first-ever defeat by Wales on home soil, losing 13-12 in Bloemfontein after a late converted try.

The Springboks had looked in control at the hour mark, with four penalties from Handre Pollard giving the world champions a 12-3 lead – and they had a man advantage with Alun Wyn Jones yellow-carded.

Yet their ill-discipline proved costly. First Gareth Anscombe reduced the deficit with a penalty and then Wales opted to kick for touch close to the Boks’ line from another penalty.

From that lineout in the 77th minute, Wales spread the ball wide for Josh Adams to score in the corner. Anscombe slotted the touchline conversion and Wales held on for an historic victory.

The Boks may rue the 14 changes they made to their starting XV for this second Test of the series. Yes, there were plenty of quality players included but the lack of cohesion and experience was evident.

It will interesting to see who is picked for the deciding Test in Cape Town next week.

South Africa team to play Wales – Saturday 9 July

Warrick Gelant; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi; Handre Pollard (captain), Jaden Hendrikse; Thomas du Toit, Joseph Dweba, Trevor Nyakane, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Evan Roos.

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Vincent Koch, Ruan Nortje, Rynhardt Elstadt, Deon Fourie, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.

First Test – South Africa 32-29 Wales

Damian Willemse kicked a penalty with the clock in the red to give South Africa a narrow victory over Wales in the first match of their three-Test series.

It was far from a convincing performance for the world champions, who looked nervy at times and made uncharacteristic errors, but they did just enough in the second half to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

A Louis Rees-Zammit try inside three minutes had given the visitors the perfect start and the winger added a second before the break as Wales built an 18-3 half-time lead.

The Springboks got their maul into gear early in the second half, though, and that resulted in Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx touching down. They were then able to capitalise on Welsh ill-discipline – the visitors had three players sent to the sin-bin in the last quarter and were down to 12 players at one point.

Cheslin Kolbe scored in the corner to reduce the deficit to two points and then a penalty try gave South Africa the lead for the first time in the game. Wales hit back through Dewi Lake to level the scores but Dan Biggar couldn’t convert the try. Then Willemse kicked the match-winning penalty in the 82nd minute.

There is much for the Boks to work on ahead of the second Test, but they were able to maintain their record of never losing to Wales on home soil.

South Africa team to play Wales – Saturday 2 July

Damian Willemse; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi (captain), Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, Elrigh Louw,  Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.

South Africa Squad for Wales Series 2022

Jacques Nienaber has named a 43-man squad for South Africa’s three-Test series against Wales in July and it includes eight uncapped players.

Those who could win their first caps against Wales are forwards Deon Fourie, Elrigh Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje and Evan Roos, and backs Kurt-Lee Arendse and Grant Williams.

Harlequins centre and RPA Player of the Year Andre Esterhuizen is selected having not played for the Springboks since 2019. There are also recalls for Marcell Coetzee and Warrick Gelant.

Lock Eben Etzebeth will win his 100th South Africa cap if he plays in all three Tests against Wales, in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town.

Nienaber said: “Building squad depth is one of the key areas for us, and it is great to see the number of young players who have put up their hands this season, and we are delighted to invite them to the national squad environment.”

Forwards

Marcell Coetzee (Bulls)

Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks)

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz)

Thomas du Toit (Sharks)

Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux)

Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)

Eben Etzebeth (Toulon)

Deon Fourie (Stormers)

Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

Vincent Koch (Saracens)

Siya Kolisi (Sharks)

Elrigh Louw (Bulls)

Frans Malherbe (Stormers)

Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)

Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)

Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks)

Salmaan Moerat (Stormers)

Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)

Ox Nche (Sharks)

Ruan Nortje (Bulls)

Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)

Marvin Orie (Stormers)

Evan Roos (Stormers)

Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo)

Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)

Backs

Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls)

Lukhanyo Am (Sharks)

Damian de Allende (Munster)

Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)

Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)

Aphelele Fassi (Sharks)

Warrick Gelant (Stormers)

Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks)

Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes)

Herschel Jantjies (Stormers)

Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon)

Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)

Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz)

Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)

Handre Pollard (Montpellier)

Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)

Damian Willemse (Stormers)

Grant Williams (Sharks)

South Africa Squad for Wales Series 2022: Fixtures

Sat 2 July, South Africa 32-29 Wales

Sat 9 July, South Africa 12-13 Wales

Sat 16 July, South Africa 30-14 Wales

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