Wales v South Africa negativity frustrates Kolisi

Cardiff Principality Stadium Date: Saturday, November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

On Saturday, South Africa and Wales close the world’s 2025 international program.

In the build-up, whether they should be playing at all was a hot topic.

It is a match organised outside World Rugby’s international window which has attracted criticism, with both squads missing players.

Siya Kolisi, the double World Cup winner of South Africa, has a passionate defense of the game’s validity.

“I am aware that many members of the Welsh public are asking, “Why are they playing this game against the Springboks?” ‘”, said Kolisi.

“When people question this, I don’t like it.” Whom are they supposed to play in order to improve themselves?

” People look at this stuff so negatively. You only get better when you play against the best teams, so you get better.

Wales are without 13 players who play in England and France but Kolisi believes this will give opportunities for others.

Although the first-choice players aren’t there, Kolisi said, “To create squad depth, you have to play against the best teams.”

When the other guys are unavailable, this is good. At least these guys playing now will have tasted this and had that experience.

Rassie Erasmus, the head coach of the Springboks, backed his captain’s assessment, claiming there are advantages to matches played outside of World Rugby’s window.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) say” challenging yourself against the best sides in the world boosts player and team development”.

The governing body added that the fourth international “boosts resources to invest directly back into Welsh rugby,” one of the main goals behind the fixture’s goal of raising money.

Not everyone shares these sentiments. There are contrasting opinions and former Wales internationals James Hook and Richie Rees have criticised the game.

In a match between the sixth round of the United Rugby Championship (URC), in which Welsh and South African domestic teams compete, Mark Jones, the Ospreys coach, says he doesn’t like it.

Ospreys are without 12 Wales squad players, including nine forwards, and Jones is forced to field a hooker in the back row, leaving the four professional Welsh sides.

Dragons and Cardiff have also had to sign emergency hookers for the weekend.

It will be no surprise the strength-in-depth between the two sides contrasts widely.

While Wales has only 306 caps, Erasmus can still call on 899 of his matchday squad.

With Tandy having to name a weaker side to face the world champions, the Springboks’ bench has more caps (374) than Wales’ entire 23-man squad.

South Africa are also without several high-profile players like world player of the year Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit and Cheslin Kolbe.

With Eben Etzebeth and Bongi Mbonambi in reserve, Kolisi is still in charge of the Springboks, which includes Jasper Wiese, Damian de Allende, Damian Willemse, and new fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

With only one backline replacement, scrum-half Cobus Reinach, Erasmus has chosen seven players for the bench.

That means Wales will face the full force of 15 Springbok forwards during the 80 minutes, with the famous” Bomb Squad “set to come on in the second half looking to overpower their hosts.

What else can Wales look forward to as success, if not victory?

Some home fans left the Principality Stadium last Saturday with a feeling of optimism following their 52-26 defeat to New Zealand, which may seem strange.

Hard to believe when Wales had suffered a 10th home defeat in 11 games and a 20th loss in 22 Test matches, while also shipping a half-century of points in Cardiff for the third time this year.

Any glimpses of recovery are snuffed out because of the ongoing crisis Welsh rugby has experienced over the past few years.

Tom Rogers, the winger who became the first Welsh player to score a hat-trick against New Zealand, scored four tries against the All Blacks last weekend.

” We saw what the Welsh team can do against New Zealand and it’s going to be tough, “said Kolisi.

The game was “amazing,” and only then did New Zealand win.

We are aware of what it’s like to play in Cardiff, but we haven’t had a great performance recently against Wales.

Flanker Kolisi, 34, is alluding to four successive Wales victories at the Principality Stadium between 2014 and 2018 in this fixture.

The Springboks have won their previous three games in the Welsh capital, winning 52-16 in 2023 and winning 45-12 the following year.

Wales won’t be undervalued, Kolisi claims.

“There’s so much history between the two teams, we respect the Welsh team and know how tough they are”, he said.

“We’ve seen what happens if we enter and be haughty,” the statement reads.

After winning their previous home matches against Japan, France, Italy, and Ireland, South Africa are aiming to win a second straight clean sweep of victories on their end-of-the-year tour.

The Springboks are unafraid to finish third in a row as the world’s top team, regardless of what happens.

In contrast, Wales are ranked 11th in the world with their only two wins this year coming against Japan.

At the beginning of his Springboks career, Kolisi recalls how South Africa found itself in a difficult situation.

We’ve also had this position before, when all the guys retired simultaneously in 2015 and the situation became untenable, Kolisi said.

” When you remove so much experience at the same time, you leave many holes.

“We lost to New Zealand]in 2017 with a score of 57-0.” It feels like it won’t end, which is terrible. Then coach Rassie]Erasmus] came in and we started to change things”.

Kolisi urged the Welsh people to keep their faith and that Wales will rise once more.

“I have no doubt that they will get past what they are going through,” Kolisi said.

“It’s a matter of when it will change. Put the team first and don’t point fingers if you all believe in the group.

I admire how the Welsh people continue to support the team because they “must not lose hope and heart.”

“They will come good”.

Coghlan, Southworth, Coleman, Coleman, Ratti, Morse, Morgan-Williams, Sheedy, and B Thomas are the replacements.

South Africa: D Willemse, Hooker, De Allende, Esterhuizen, Moodie, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Van der Berg, Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Louw, Kleyn, Nortje, Kolisi (capt), Mostert, Wiese.

Mbonambi, Porthen, Ntlabakanye, Etzebeth, Van Staden, Dixon, Smith, Reinach as replacements.

Luc Ramos (France) as the referee

Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Pierre Brousset (France)

Eric Gauzins (France) TMO