Wales v South Africa LIVE: Rugby score and latest updates from World Cup warm-up in Cardiff

First blood to South Africa!

First opportunity for attack for South Africa. They spread the ball wide to the right and Canan Moodie puts it in the 22nd.

UFF! Big clean hit against RG Snyman by Corey Domachowski. Big man in big man action. Boks is still in a good position though

Some nice high balls from Wales early on. But they turn the ball over on collapse to end a possible attack.

Ooh, an early TMO review – Tom Rogers is there a little early as he fights for a high ball, Cheslin touches Kolbe in the air and there’s a Boks penalty. Nothing more than that.

Ok, the two teams are on the pitch and the anthems are playing. Here’s a reminder of the pages today. It’s an incredibly strong looking Boks cast…

Wales XV: Corey Domachowski, Elliot Dee, Keiron Assiratti; Ben Carter, Will Rowlands; Dan Lydiate, Jac Morgan (Captain), Aaron Wainwright; Kieran Hardy, Sam Costelow; Rio Dyer, Johnny Williams, Mason Grady, Tom Rogers; Cai Evans.

Replacements: Sam Parry, Nicky Smith, Henry Thomas, Teddy Williams, Taine Basham; Tomos Williams, Max Llewellyn, Louis Rees-Zammit.

South Africa XV: Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman; Siya Kolisi (Captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese; Jaden Hendrikse, Manie Libbok; Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Canan Moodie; Willie le Roux.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen; Grant Williams, Damian

Who would be a coach? It’s a difficult time taking the lead and making sure the best team possible comes to the World Cup

Warren Gatland was helped change the fortunes of Wales and lead them to Rugby World Cup 2027.

Welsh Rugby Union interim chief executive Nigel Walker welcomed Gatland during a press conference to unveil Abi Tierney as the organisation’s new chief executive – a position she will take up later this year.

New Zealand’s Gatland is making his second stint as Wales head coach in eight months after replacing Wayne Pivac, and he is preparing for a fourth World Cup at the helm in September and October, having overseen semi-final appearances in 2011 and 2019.

Wales finished fifth in the Six Nations earlier in the year, while Gatland took over from a side that lost nine of 12 Tests in 2022.

“The contract was a five-year contract. There is a clause (probably after the World Cup in France) but I can’t think of any circumstances where we would invoke that clause,” Walker said.

When South Africa’s captain, who won the 2019 World Cup, suffered a knee injury in April and subsequently underwent knee surgery, doubts were raised as to whether he would be fit in time for the Springboks to defend their title.

It’s been a long way back but Kolisi will make his first appearance of the year in Cardiff after missing out on the Rugby Championship. South Africa meets New Zealand in Twickenham next Friday before the World Cup opener against Scotland is in full swing on September 10th. With the return of their figurehead, everything should feel back to normal for the Springboks.

There will inevitably be deep disappointment for the players not called up for Wales’ World Cup squad, but the groundwork for Wales’ 2027 season in Australia is already being laid. Gatland’s provisional training squad, announced in May, consisted of ten players who have not yet had international caps and he was not afraid to give them a chance.

Centers Max Llewellyn and Joe Roberts and prop master Corey Domachowski are among those who have impressed, while further development has been met with great enthusiasm from players like fly-half Sam Costelow, center Mason Grady and lock Dafydd Jenkins. Whatever happens on Monday, Wales’ player pool is growing well.

When Gatland returned for a second spell as Wales manager seven months ago, there were numerous problems off the field that also affected the Six Nations. Welsh rugby was beset by financial difficulties and contractual uncertainties, and a looming players’ strike was averted just three days before England arrived in Cardiff.

Wales finished fifth in the tournament, winning a single game, but Gatland have now made their mark on the players in an invaluable three months and the whole environment feels and looks better. Wales were World Cup semi-finalists twice during Gatland’s previous reign. Enough said.