The Wales national rugby union team toured South Africa in July 2022 for a series of three test matches against the South Africa national team. It was the seventh time Wales had toured South Africa in test history. In each of the previous 10 matches contested between the two nations on South African soil – the first of which took place in 1964 – South Africa were the victors.

South Africa took the lead in the 2022 test series, beating Wales by 32–29 in Pretoria on 2 July. A week later, Wales made history with their first ever test victory in South Africa, leveling the series by winning 13–12 in Bloemfontein on 9 July. The decider took place in Cape Town on 16 July, with South Africa winning 30–14 to take the series.

Squads South Africa South Africa named their squad for the three-test series on 11 June 2022. Coach Jacques Nienaber picked 43 players, including eight who were yet to win a cap for the Springboks: Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortjé, Salmaan Moerat, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Deon Fourie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Grant Williams.

Caps and ages are as of 2 July 2022, prior to the first test.

Wales Wales coach Wayne Pivac named a squad of 33 for the tour, including two uncapped players in forwards Tommy Reffell and James Ratti, while flanker Dan Lydiate, fly-half Rhys Patchell and centre George North made their returns after long absences due to injury. Surprise omissions from the squad included forwards Seb Davies, James Botham and Jac Morgan. On 7 June, Dragons prop Leon Brown pulled out through injury and was replaced by Sam Wainwright. Scarlets prop Harri O'Connor was added to the squad on 21 June. Fly-half Gareth Anscombe joined up with the squad on 28 June, having stayed back in Wales pending the birth of his second child.

Fixtures The tour was confirmed in February 2022, with the two sides scheduled to play three tests in July 2022. The first test would be played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 2 July, the second test at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on 9 July, and the third test at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on 16 July.

1st test

Team details FB 15Damian WillemseRW 14Cheslin KolbeOC 13Lukhanyo AmIC 12Damian de AllendeLW 11Makazole MapimpiFH 10Elton Jantjies SH 9 Faf de Klerk N8 8 Jasper WieseBF 7 Franco Mostert OF 6 Siya Kolisi (c) RL 5 Lood de JagerLL 4 Eben Etzebeth TP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Bongi Mbonambi LP 1 Ox Nché Replacements:HK 16Malcolm Marx PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Vincent Koch LK 19Salmaan Moerat FL 20Elrigh Louw FL 21Kwagga Smith SH 22Herschel Jantjies FB 23Willie le Roux Coach: Jacques Nienaber FB 15Liam Williams RW 14Louis Rees-Zammit OC 13George North IC 12Nick Tompkins LW 11Josh Adams FH 10Dan Biggar (c) SH 9 Kieran Hardy N8 8 Taulupe Faletau OF 7 Tommy ReffellBF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Adam Beard LL 4 Will Rowlands TP 3 Dillon Lewis HK 2 Ryan Elias LP 1 Gareth Thomas Replacements:HK 16Dewi Lake PR 17Rhys Carre PR 18Tomas Francis LK 19Alun Wyn Jones FL 20Josh Navidi SH 21Tomos Williams FH 22Gareth Anscombe CE 23Owen Watkin Coach: Wayne Pivac Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia) Andrea Piardi (Italy) Television match official: Joy Neville (Ireland) Notes: Elrigh Louw, Salmaan Moerat (both South Africa) and Tommy Reffell (Wales) made their international debuts.

2nd test

Team details FB 15Warrick GelantRW 14Kurt-Lee ArendseOC 13Jesse KrielIC 12André EsterhuizenLW 11Aphelele Fassi FH 10Handré Pollard (c) SH 9 Jaden HendrikseN8 8 Evan Roos BF 7 Pieter-Steph du ToitOF 6 Marcell Coetzee RL 5 Marvin Orie LL 4 Eben EtzebethTP 3 Trevor Nyakane HK 2 Joseph Dweba LP 1 Thomas du Toit Replacements:HK 16Malcolm Marx PR 17Ntuthuko Mchunu PR 18Vincent Koch LK 19Ruan Nortjé FL 20Rynhardt Elstadt FL 21Deon Fourie SH 22Grant Williams FB 23Damian Willemse Coach: Jacques Nienaber FB 15Liam Williams RW 14Louis Rees-ZammitOC 13George North IC 12Nick Tompkins LW 11Alex Cuthbert FH 10Dan Biggar (c) SH 9 Kieran Hardy N8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Tommy ReffellBF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Adam BeardLL 4 Will Rowlands TP 3 Dillon Lewis HK 2 Ryan Elias LP 1 Gareth Thomas Replacements:HK 16Dewi Lake PR 17Wyn Jones PR 18Sam Wainwright LK 19Alun Wyn Jones FL 20Josh Navidi SH 21Tomos Williams FH 22Gareth Anscombe WG 23Josh Adams Coach: Wayne Pivac Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England) Andrea Piardi (Italy) Television match official: Brett Cronan (Australia) Notes: This was Wales' first ever victory over South Africa in a test match on South African soil. Kurt-Lee Arendse, Deon Fourie, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ruan Nortjé, Evan Roos, Grant Williams (all South Africa) and Sam Wainwright (Wales) made their international debuts.

3rd test

Team details FB 15Damian WillemseRW 14Cheslin Kolbe OC 13Lukhanyo AmIC 12Damian de AllendeLW 11Makazole MapimpiFH 10Handré PollardSH 9 Jaden Hendrikse N8 8 Jasper Wiese BF 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit OF 6 Siya Kolisi (c)RL 5 Lood de JagerLL 4 Eben Etzebeth TP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Bongi Mbonambi LP 1 Trevor Nyakane Replacements:HK 16Malcolm Marx PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Vincent Koch LK 19Franco Mostert FL 20Kwagga Smith FL 21Elrigh Louw SH 22Faf de Klerk FB 23Willie le Roux Coach: Jacques Nienaber FB 15Liam Williams RW 14Louis Rees-ZammitOC 13George North IC 12Nick Tompkins LW 11Josh AdamsFH 10Dan Biggar (c)SH 9 Kieran Hardy N8 8 Josh NavidiOF 7 Tommy Reffell BF 6 Dan Lydiate RL 5 Adam BeardLL 4 Will RowlandsTP 3 Dillon Lewis HK 2 Ryan Elias LP 1 Gareth Thomas Replacements:HK 16Dewi Lake PR 17Wyn Jones PR 18Sam Wainwright LK 19Alun Wyn Jones FL 20Taine Basham SH 21Tomos Williams FH 22Rhys PatchellCE 23Owen Watkin Coach: Wayne Pivac Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia) Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) Television match official: Brett Cronan (Australia) Notes: Taulupe Faletau and Gareth Anscombe were originally named in the Wales team, but pulled out during the warm-up. Faletau was replaced in the starting line-up by Josh Navidi, whose place on the bench was taken by Taine Basham, while Anscombe's place among the replacements was taken by Rhys Patchell. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) earned his 100th test cap. Bongi Mbonambi (South Africa) earned his 50th test cap.

See also 2022 mid-year rugby union tests History of rugby union matches between South Africa and Wales

References