Wales v South Africa, Rugby World Cup 2023 warm-up: What time is kick-off and how to watch today's match on TV

With the side’s first game of the Rugby World Cup against Fiji in Pool C scheduled for Sept 10, head coach Warren Gatland will use this warm-up fixture to cement his starting line-up.

When these sides last met in 2022, Wales lost the three-match series 2-1 but secured an historic first victory on South African soil thanks to a late converted try from Josh Adams.

Since then, Gatland has returned to the fray, replacing former head coach Wayne Pivac. But after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Six Nations, and with several key players carrying injuries, Wales have their work cut out for them if they are to go far in the World Cup.

When is it?

Wales face South Africa in the last of their three World Cup warm-up matches today at 3.15pm (BST).

Where is the match being played?

Wales will host South Africa at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. With the roof closed, Warren Gatland’s side will be hoping to use the crowd as a sixteenth man to cheer them to victory.

What other warm-up matches have Wales played?

• Wales 20 England 9, Principality Stadium

• England 19 Wales 17, Twickenham Stadium

• Wales vs South Africa, Principality Stadium, today at 3.15pm

How to watch on TV

The clash against South Africa will be broadcast on Amazon Prime (UK). All of Wales’ World Cup warm-up fixtures are available in the UK exclusively through the streaming platform.

Amazon Prime Video membership starts at £5.99 a month. Alternatively, the streaming platform offers a free 30-day trial of its full £8.99 a month package, which comes with other benefits including free Amazon delivery. This can be cancelled at any time.

The Wales squad

Wing Alex Cuthbert and centre Johnny Williams will make their first appearances of Wales’ World Cup warm-up schedule.

Williams partners Mason Grady in midfield, while there are also starts for the likes of scrum-half Kieran Hardy and hooker Elliot Dee.

Flanker Jac Morgan will captain Wales for the second time in three games, suggesting he is a firm favourite to skipper Wales at the World Cup.

Taine Basham, meanwhile, is among the replacements. Basham failed a head injury assessment following a shoulder-led tackle to his head by England captain Owen Farrell at Twickenham last weekend.

Farrell was sent off, but in a decision that sent shockwaves throughout the rugby world his red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel.

The Welsh Rugby Union said that Basham “was not a confirmed concussion following completion of all three stages of the head injury assessment (HIA) protocol”.

Warren Gatland will name his squad for the World Cup two days after this South Africa game.

“There are still some players we need to find out about and potentially give an opportunity to,” Gatland said. “You couldn’t ask for better warm-up matches in terms of the physicality we are looking for, with England home and away and then South Africa.

“It’s going to be the same sort of test up-front against South Africa and we need to take the learnings from Twickenham.”

Wales team to face South Africa
L Williams (Kubota Spears); A Cuthbert (Ospreys), M Grady (Cardiff), J Williams (Scarlets), R Dyer (Dragons); D Biggar (Toulon), K Hardy (Scarlets); C Domachowski (Cardiff), E Dee (Dragons), K Assiratti (Cardiff), B Carter (Dragons), W Rowlands (Dragons), D Lydiate (Dragons), J Morgan (Ospreys, capt), A Wainwright (Dragons).

Replacements: S Parry (Ospreys), N Smith (Ospreys), H Thomas (Montpellier), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), T Basham (Dragons), Tomos Williams (Cardiff), M Llewellyn (Cardiff), C Evans (Dragons).

The South Africa squad

South Africa have received a timely boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup after captain Siya Kilosi was named in their starting XV for Cardiff on Saturday, his first appearance for the team this year.

The flanker Kolisi had been a major doubt after suffering a serious knee injury in April. But along with replacement prop Ox Nche, who also returns from a spell on the sidelines for a first game in 2023, Kolisi will get the opportunity for much-needed game-time.

“Siya and Ox have been working extremely hard on their rehabilitation and it’s fantastic that everything worked out according to plan to allow us to select them for this match,” Bok coach Jacques Nienaber said.

Scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, one of four number nines in the World Cup squad, also gets a first run of 2023.

“He [Hendrikse] is a top-class player and he’s been training hard, so we are pleased he’ll finally get his chance this weekend,” Nienaber added.

The team has 11 changes from the one that defeated Argentina 24-13 in Buenos Aires. Hendrikse will be alongside flyhalf Manie Libbok, with Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel the centre pairing. The back three features wings Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie, and fullback Willie le Roux.

Jasper Wiese is at number eight alongside flankers Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit, while the Munster duo of Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman are at lock.

Hooker Malcolm Marx will have props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe either side of him.

Nche is part of a 6-2 split on the bench with the ‘Bomb Squad’ back in operation after the Boks had opted for a 5-3 divide between forwards and backs in recent matches.

South Africa team to play Wales
15-Willie le Roux, 14-Canan Moodie, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Cheslin Kolbe, 10-Manie Libbok, 9-Jaden Hendrikse, 8-Jasper Wiese, 7-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6-Siya Kolisi (captain), 5-RG Snyman, 4-Jean Kleyn, 3-Frans Malherbe, 2-Malcolm Marx, 1-Steven Kitshoff

Replacements: 16-Bongi Mbonambi, 17-Ox Nche, 18-Vincent Koch, 19-Franco Mostert, 20-Marco van Staden, 21-Duane Vermeulen, 22-Grant Williams, 23-Damian Willemse.

What are the odds?

• South Africa 4/11

• Wales 2/1

• Draw 20/1