Wales vs South Africa Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2024 Autumn Internationals

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The omens don’t look good for Warren Gatland and Wales here, with reigning world champions and number one-ranked South Africa visiting Cardiff.

Start date/time: Saturday 23rd November, 2024, UK – 5:40pm / US ET – 12:40pm / US PT – 9:40am

How to watch on tv: UK – TNT Sports / US – Peacock

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Peacock

Wales Form: Gatland’s final game?

Warren Gatland has faced plenty of questions about his future this week, and understandably so after Wales lost their 11th consecutive match last weekend when they were thumped 52-20 by Australia in Cardiff.

That followed a defeat to Fiji in their first Autumn Nations Series contest and you have to go all the way back to a group stage win over Georgia in last year’s World Cup to find the last time Wales emerged victorious.

LAST FIVE: LLLLL

South Africa form: Number one

Following wins over Scotland and England in the Autumn Nations Series, world champions South Africa will look to make it a hat-trick of victories against the British nations when take on a Welsh side bereft of confidence.

The Springboks are set to end the year as the number-one ranked side in world rugby with the highlight being their dominant Rugby Championship campaign during which they lost just one game against their Southern Hemisphere rivals.

LAST FIVE: WLWWW

Wales Team News: Wholesale changes

Squad: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 James Botham, 5 Christ Tshiunza, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Gareth Thomas

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Eddie James, 23 Josh Hathaway

South Africa Team News: Wilco Louw in for Ox Nche amongst the changes

Squad: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Thomas du Toit

Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Handre Pollard

Wales vs South Africa Prediction

Although it isn’t certain that this will be Warren Gatland’s final game in charge of Wales, it is hard to see any other outcome after their torrid run of form that has seen them lose 11 consecutive matches. That it doesn’t become 12 against the best side in the world on Saturday will be nothing short of a miracle, as there is a significant gulf of class between the two nations right now.

There is no value to be had simply by backing a South African victory, so a significant handicap will need to be added to gain a meaningful return on investment.

Wales vs South Africa Tip: South Africa to win with -24.5 handicap