South Africa vs Wales Preview & Prediction | 2026 Nations Championship | Round 3
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World champions South Africa are overwhelming favourites against Wales as they host the northern hemisphere side in Durban.
Start date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – RugbyPass TV
South Africa team news: Marx & Wiese back in
Squad: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Cobus Reinach; 1 Gerhard Steenekamp, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Carlu Sadie, 4 Cobus Wiese, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 6 Paul de Villiers, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Jan-Hendrick Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Damian Willemse
Wales team news: Tinkering Tandy
Squad: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Dewi Lake, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Teddy Williams, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Alex Mann, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 James Botham, 22 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 23 Joe Hawkins
South Africa vs Wales prediction
A much-changed South Africa were given a stern test by Scotland in Pretoria last weekend but, as they so often do, found an extra gear to record a 42-28 victory against their northern hemisphere opponents.
The Springboks, the number one-ranked side in the world, have understandably looked like the team to beat in the first ever staging of the Nations Championship, and they are unlikely to be troubled against a side they hammered 73-0 in Cardiff last November.
Despite starting well against Argentina in San Juan last weekend, Wales were ultimately overpowered by the Pumas, who defeated the northern hemisphere side 35-21.
Wales had won their Nations Championship opener against a poor Fiji outfit, but that may be as good as it gets in this tournament for a side who have endured a miserable couple of years.
It is just over four years since Wales clinched a memorable 13-12 win in Bloemfontein, but we are a far cry from that now and you have to think the world champions will run up a big score here.
South Africa vs Wales tip: South Africa to win with -42.5 handicap
