Wales and South Africa are set to clash in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The reigning world champions, South Africa, will be looking to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the tournament, while Wales aims to build on recent improvements.
Wales had a challenging period over the last year and a half, but their performances on the field have started to improve. After a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Six Nations earlier this year, they bounced back with a convincing win against England in their first World Cup warm-up match. Although they narrowly lost to England at Twickenham last week, their pack showed great strength and dominated the English forwards.
South Africa, on the other hand, have had mixed form in recent months. While they started the Rugby Championship with a big win against Australia, they suffered a heavy defeat to New Zealand in their second match. They managed to secure a narrow victory against Argentina in their last outing, but they still have room for improvement.
Both teams have made changes to their lineups for this match. Wales will be without Dan Biggar and Liam Williams due to injuries, but youngsters Cai Evans and Sam Costelow will have an opportunity to shine. South Africa welcomes back captain Siya Kolisi, who missed the Rugby Championship due to injury, along with several other new faces.
In head-to-head matchups, South Africa has the upper hand, having won 32 of the 40 matches between the two sides. Wales has secured seven wins, while one match ended in a draw.
While South Africa is still working towards their best form, they showed promising signs in their victory against Argentina. With key players returning to the lineup, they are expected to secure a win in this match. However, Wales will be determined to continue their progress and will be looking to challenge the reigning champions.
Overall, this warm-up match serves as a crucial opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Both sides will be eager to put in a strong performance and gather momentum before the tournament kicks off.
