The

Wales national rugby union team The Wales national rugby union team ( cy, Tîm rygbi'r undeb cenedlaethol Cymru) represents Wales in men's international rugby union. Its governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played thei ...

toured

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

in July 2022 for a series of three test matches against the South Africa national team. It was the seventh time Wales had toured South Africa in test history. In each of the previous 10 matches contested between the two nations on South African soil – the first of which took place in 1964 – South Africa were the victors. South Africa took the lead in the 2022 test series, beating Wales by 32–29 in

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

on 2 July. A week later, Wales made history with their first ever test victory in South Africa, leveling the series by winning 13–12 in

Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...

on 9 July. The decider took place in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

on 16 July, with South Africa winning 30–14 to take the series.

Squads

South Africa

South Africa named their squad for the three-test series on 11 June 2022. Coach

Jacques Nienaber Jacques Nienaber (born 16 October 1972) is a South African rugby union coach who is currently the head coach of the South Africa national team, the Springboks. Early life Nienaber was born in Kimberley, but grew up in Bloemfontein, where he a ...

picked 43 players, including eight who were yet to win a cap for the Springboks: Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortjé,

Salmaan Moerat Salmaan Moerat (born 6 March 1998) is a South African rugby union player for the in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup The Currie Cup is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring (June to Octobe ...

, Ntuthuko Mchunu,

Deon Fourie Deon André Fourie (born 25 September 1986) is a South African rugby union footballer who plays for Western Province in the South African Provincial Currie Cup competition. His regular playing positions are Hooker and Loose forward. Fourie pre ...

Kurt-Lee Arendse Kurt-Lee Arendse (born 17 June 1996) is a South African professional rugby player for the South Africa national team, where his regular position is wing or fullback, and a rugby union player for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship Ca ...

and Grant Williams. ''Caps and ages are as of 2 July 2022, prior to the first test.''

Wales

Wales coach

Wayne Pivac Wayne Pivac (born 1962) is a New Zealand rugby union coach. In November 2019 he replaced Warren Gatland as the Wales national team coach. A former sworn officer in the New Zealand Police, he was a constable at the Takapuna police station on A ...

named a squad of 33 for the tour, including two uncapped players in forwards

Tommy Reffell Tomas John Reffell (born 27 April 1999) is a Welsh professional rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. His usual position is flanker. He was a Premiership Rugby champion in 2022. He made his international debut for a ...

and

James Ratti James Ratti (born 14 October 1997) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for the Ospreys as a lock and blindside flanker. Ratti made his debut for the Ospreys in 2018 against Zebre having previously played for the Ospreys academy and Aberavo ...

, while flanker

Dan Lydiate Dan Lydiate (born 18 December 1987) is a Wales international rugby union player. A flanker, Lydiate was raised in Llandrindod Wells and is a product of the Newport Gwent Dragons academy. Early life The younger of two boys born to English docke ...

, fly-half

Rhys Patchell Rhys Patchell (born 17 May 1993) is a Wales international rugby union player. A fly-half, he plays for Scarlets having previously played for Cardiff Blues. Early life Educated at Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd and at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf. ...

and centre

George North George Philip North (born 13 April 1992) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays for the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship and the Wales national team. He has also represented the British & Irish Lions and currently has th ...

made their returns after long absences due to injury. Surprise omissions from the squad included forwards Seb Davies, James Botham and Jac Morgan. On 7 June, Dragons prop Leon Brown pulled out through injury and was replaced by

Sam Wainwright Sam Wainwright (born 7 May 1998) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a prop for United Rugby Championship club the Scarlets. He is a Wales international, and has also appeared for the U20 team. Club career Wainwright began his career at ...

. Scarlets prop

Harri O'Connor Harri O'Connor (born 25 October 2000) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a tighthead prop for the Scarlets. Professional career A member of the Dorchester Rugby Football Club youth side, O'Connor was part of the Bath academy, before ...

was added to the squad on 21 June. Fly-half

Gareth Anscombe Gareth Anscombe is a rugby union player who plays for the Wales national rugby union team. He primarily plays at fly-half but can also play as a fullback. Anscombe, who currently plays for the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship, is the s ...

joined up with the squad on 28 June, having stayed back in Wales pending the birth of his second child.

Fixtures

The tour was confirmed in February 2022, with the two sides scheduled to play three tests in July 2022. The first test would be played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 2 July, the second test at

Free State Stadium The Free State Stadium ( af, Vrystaatstadion), currently known as the Toyota Stadium for sponsorship reasons and formerly known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, used mainly for rugby union and also sometimes for associa ...

in Bloemfontein on 9 July, and the third test at

Newlands Stadium The Newlands Stadium, referred to as DHL Newlands for sponsorship reasons, is located in Cape Town, South Africa. The stadium has a capacity of 51,900 people, but is not an all-seater venue. Various sports teams use the stadium as their ho ...

in Cape Town on 16 July.

1st test

Notes: * Elrigh Louw,

(South Africa) and

(Wales) made their international debuts.

2nd test

Notes: * This was Wales' first ever victory over South Africa in a test match on South African soil. *

, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ruan Nortjé, Evan Roos, Grant Williams (all South Africa) and

(Wales) made their international debuts.

3rd test

Notes: *

Taulupe Faletau Tangaki Taulupe "Toby" Faletau (born 12 November 1990) is a Welsh professional rugby union player for Cardiff Rugby in the United Rugby Championship and has represented the national team for over 10 years. The back row forward played for Cr ...

and

were originally named in the Wales team, but pulled out during the warm-up. Faletau was replaced in the starting line-up by

Josh Navidi Josh Navidi (born 30 December 1990) is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays for the Cardiff Rugby, Wales and British and Irish Lions. He has previously captained Wales U20. Personal life Navidi's father is Iranian and his mother ...

, whose place on the bench was taken by Taine Basham, while Anscombe's place among the replacements was taken by

. *

Eben Etzebeth Eben Etzebeth (born 29 October 1991) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Sharks in the United Rugby Championship. His regular playing position is as a number 4 lock. Cl ...

(South Africa) earned his 100th test cap. *

Bongi Mbonambi Mbongeni Theo 'Bongi' Mbonambi (born 7 January 1991) is a South African professional rugby union player, He currently plays as a hooker for the United Rugby Championship, URC team and also the South Africa national rugby union team, South Afri ...

(South Africa) earned his 50th test cap.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wales

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...

2022 rugby union tours 2022 in South African rugby union 2021–22 in Welsh rugby union History of rugby union matches between South Africa and Wales