5 hours Ago By The Independent
A wounded face the toughest of tasks against as Warren Gatland’s side welcome the world champions to Cardiff. An condemned Wales to the worst run in their history, with growing doubt over head coach Gatland’s future. Things don’t get easier at all with the in town — Rassie Erasmus’s tourists may be but both Scotland and England have been beaten by two scores or more.
With Wales so lacking in confidence, another damaging afternoon could be on the cards but a young side will be hoping to show their spirit in their final Autumn Nations Series fixture. Here’s everything you need to know. Wales vs South Africa is due to kick off at 5.
40pm GMT on Saturday 23 November at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 5.15pm GMT.
Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+. Warren Gatland makes a number of changes to the Wales side that began against Australia, with Sam Costelow promoted to replace Gareth Anscombe at fly half. Aaron Wainwright and Cameron Winnett, two of Gatland’s best performers this year, are also absent, while key lock cog Adam Beard is ruled out with a knee issue.
Rio Dyer returns on the wing and Christ Tshiunza and Taine Plumtree are brought in to the starting pack. On the bench, Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas is primed for a debut. South Africa pair the Hendrikse brothers in the halves, with Jaden’s inclusion at nine and Jordan’s at ten the only changes to the starting Springboks backline that beat England.
There are other alterations up front, where Johan Grobbelaar, Thomas du Toit, Franco Mostert and Elrigh Louw all come in. Ox Nche had initially been named in the side having recovered sufficiently from a cut to his knee, but has now been rested with Wilco Louw starting again, while Eben Etzebeth steps up after Jean Kleyn was forced to withdraw with a niggle. Cameron Hanekom, who would have qualified for Wales via his grandmother, is set to become South Africa’s 12th debutant of the year having been named as one of six forwards on the bench.
1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 3 Archie Griffin; 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Christ Tshiunza; 6 James Botham, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Taine Plumtree; 9 Ellis Bevan, 10 Sam Costelow; 11 Rio Dyer, 12 Ben Thomas, 13 Max Llewellyn, 14 Tom Rogers; 15 Blair Murray. 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell; 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Eddie James, 23 Josh Hathaway. 1 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 3 Wilco Louw; 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Franco Mostert; 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.
), 7 Elrigh Louw, 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 10 Jordan Hendrikse; 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cheslin Kolbe; 15 Aphelele Fassi. 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Cameron Hanekom; 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Handre Pollard. Wales win 20/1 Draw 100/1 South Africa win 1/25.
