Wales v South Africa LIVE: Rugby result and reaction from World Cup warm-up in Cardiff

First blood to South Africa!

Clinical work in the red zone as Jaden Hendrikse plays the ball down the blindside, the returning Siya Kolisi sucks in two defenders and offloads to Malcolm Marx to go over in the left corner.

That is simply world-class rugby by Kolisi. Back from injury and it took him, erm... five minute to get back in the wing of things...

Tricky touchline conversion for Manie Libbok and it goes just wide of the right upright.

First attacking opportunity for South Africa. They spread the ball wide to the right and Canan Moodie takes it into the 22.

OOF! Big, clean hit on RG Snyman by Corey Domachowski. Big man on big man action. Boks still in good position though

A couple of nice claims of high balls by Wales in the early going. But they turn the ball over at the breakdown to end a potential attack.

Ooh, an early TMO review - Tom Rogers gets there a shade early when competing for a high ball, contacts Cheslin Kolbe in the air and it’s a Boks penalty. Nothing more than that.

Underway in Cardiff!

Ok, the two teams are out on the pitch and the anthems are underway. Here’s a reminder of the sides today. It’s a hellaciously strong-looking Boks line-up...

Wales XV: Corey Domachowski, Elliot Dee, Keiron Assiratti; Ben Carter, Will Rowlands; Dan Lydiate, Jac Morgan (capt.), 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 (capt.), 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’d be a coach, eh? It’s a tricky period to be the man in charge as they try to make sure they bring the best possible squad to the World Cup

Warren Gatland has been backed to turn around Wales’ fortunes and lead them towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Nigel Walker, the Welsh Rugby Union’s interim chief executive, hailed Gatland during a press conference unveiling of Abi Tierney as the organisation’s new chief executive – a post she will commence by the end of this year.

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

Wales finished fifth in the Six Nations earlier this year, while Gatland inherited a squad that lost nine out of 12 Tests in 2022.

“The contract was a five-year contract. There is a clause (believed to be after the World Cup in France), but I cannot see any circumstances whereby we would invoke that clause,” Walker said.

Siya Kolisi’s timely return

When South Africa’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain suffered a knee injury in April and subsequently underwent knee surgery, doubts surfaced about whether he would be fit in time for the Springboks’ title defence.

It has been a long road back, but Kolisi will make his first appearance of the year in Cardiff after missing the Rugby Championship. South Africa face New Zealand at Twickenham next Friday, then it is full steam ahead for a World Cup opener against Scotland on September 10. With their figurehead back, it should feel like business as usual for the Springboks.

The future looks bright

There will inevitably be a sense of crushing disappointment for those players not selected in Wales’ World Cup squad, but the seeds of Wales’ 2027 campaign in Australia are already being sown. Gatland’s preliminary training squad announced in May contained 10 uncapped players, and he has not been afraid to give them a chance.

Centres Max Llewellyn and Joe Roberts and prop Corey Domachowski are among those who have impressed, while the further progression of players such as fly-half Sam Costelow, centre Mason Grady and lock Dafydd Jenkins has been met with considerable excitement. Whatever happens on Monday, Wales’ player pool is rippling nicely.

Wales in decent shape

When Gatland returned for a second stint as Wales boss seven months ago, off-field issues abounded and spilled over into the Six Nations. Welsh rugby was gripped by financial strife and contractual uncertainty, with a threatened players’ strike only averted three days before England arrived in Cardiff.

Wales finished fifth in the tournament, winning a solitary game, but Gatland has now stamped his mark during a priceless three-month period with the players, and the whole environment feels and looks a better place. Wales were World Cup semi-finalists twice during Gatland’s previous reign. Enough said.