Watch South Africa vs Wales live on Sky Sports Action at 2pm on Friday; This summer on Sky, watch England travel to take on the All Blacks in New Zealand, Wales face Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies in Australia and Ireland battle the World Cup-winning Springboks in South Africa in a two-Test tour.
Last updated: 21/06/24 11:19
Wales and South Africa meet at Twickenham on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Action from 1.30pm
Wales face South Africa at the neutral venue Twickenham on Saturday, live on Sky Sportsas Warren Gatland desperately seeks improvement…
Ahead of the trip to face Australia in the two-Test tour, also live in Sky SportsWales enter the home of English rugby to start the summer, exiting the Six Nations Wooden Spoon for the first time since 2003.
South Africa – playing their first game since October’s World Cup final win over New Zealand – are warming up before welcoming Six Nations champions Ireland for their own two-Test tour, live on Sky Sports.
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Wales are really underdogs vs the Springboks
Wales ranks outside, billed as a 13-1 chance by some bookmakers, and it is not difficult to see why.
They will arrive at Twickenham without many of their front line players, which will give them an experience gap between the team. South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth, for example, has almost won more than Wales’ entire starting pack.
South Africa have won five of their last six matches against Wales, while Gatland’s side have won their only one – against the Barbarians – since October 2023.
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Injuries hit Wales again
When Gatland said Wales had their backs against the wall this weekend, he was not wrong, with the list of available players running comfortably into double figures.
As the game falls outside the World Rugby summer Test window, a sizeable England-based contingent – featuring Nick Tompkins, Dafydd Jenkins and Tommy Reffell – is unable to play, with injury absences and time-outs seeing Jac Morgan, Taulupe Faletau, Tomos Williams, Adam Beard, Josh Adams, Ryan Elias and Will Rowlands are all out.
For Welsh fans, it’s a harsh reality.
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Wales are in desperate need of a win
Winning became a habit for Wales during Gatland’s first spell as head coach from 2008 to 2019, with the Six Nations title, Grand Slams and World Cup semi-final appearances all achieved.
It was a different story the second time around, although Wales lost 12 Tests out of 18, including six on the bounce.
Warren Gatland and his side need a victory, to gain confidence and emerge from a poor run of form
They now face South Africa, Australia (twice) before an autumn series featuring appointments with Fiji, the Wallabies and the Springboks, before the Six Nations opener against France in Paris.
A victory will be glory to the confidence, but where and when is not exactly clear.
The new rugby rules became a public event
Three new laws will be enforced at Twickenham. Described as “fan-focused” by World Rugby, they are designed to enhance the flow and spectacle of the game.
A player cannot now be sent off when an opposition player catches the ball and runs five metres, or passes the ball, from a kick in open play – the ‘Dupont Law’ as it is known, no longer exists.
Three of rugby’s new laws will be on display when Wales and South Africa meet live on Sky Sports
The offside player should try to move back, thus creating space for the opposition team to play and reduce the so-called ‘tennis kick.’
It is also no longer possible to choose a scrum from a free kick, while the act of spinning / spinning / pulling a player on his feet in the tackle area and breakdown – ‘crocodile roll’ – has been prohibited.
Watch South Africa vs Wales at Twickenham live on Sky Sports Action at 2pm on Saturday, with the build-up starting at 1.30pm.
UK summer timetable (UK and Ireland time)
Saturday 22 June – vs Japan (6.50am)
Saturday July 6th – vs New Zealand (08.05), live Sky Sports
Saturday 13 July – vs New Zealand (08.05), live Sky Sports
Irish summer fixtures (UK and Ireland time) – live on Sky Sports
Saturday July 6th – South Africa vs Ireland (4pm), live Sky Sports
Saturday 13 July – South Africa vs Ireland (4pm), live Sky Sports
Wales summer fixtures (UK and Ireland time) – live on Sky Sports
Saturday 22 June – vs South Africa (2pm), live Sky Sports
Saturday July 6th – vs Australia (10.45), live Sky Sports
Saturday 13 July – vs Australia (10.45), live Sky Sports
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