World Cup champions South Africa will get their 2024 season underway this weekend when they take on Wales at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday afternoon. With the Springboks set to face Ireland following this one-off Test and Wales travelling to Australia, the match offers both teams a chance to shake off the cobwebs before the July internationals. © Reuters The back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions are set to return to action for the first time since lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy in dramatic fashion at Stade de France last year.
However, they will do so without their master tactician Jacques Nienaber , who announced his departure during their World Cup campaign, with Rassie Erasmus now in the hot seat as the first team head coach. Erasmus will now face his old foe Warren Gatland in his first game in charge, having been Nienaber's lieutenant when the Springboks won each of their World Cup knockout games against England, France and New Zealand by a single point each. The new boss has already faced one significant setback, as he will have to navigate this, as well as his side's clash with Ireland next month, without the Bulls players, who will be competing in the United Rugby Championship final on the same day as this encounter.
When these sides met prior to the World Cup, the Springboks romped to a decisive 52-16 victory in Cardiff, though it is worth noting that four of the previous six matches between the sides were decided by five or fewer points. © Reuters Meanwhil.