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[1/4]Rugby Union - Wales v South Africa - World Cup warm-up - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - August 19, 2023 South Africa players celebrate with the Prince William Cup after winning the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley Acquire Licensing Rights
CARDIFF, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Wing Canan Moodie and centre Jesse Kriel ran in a brace of tries each as South Africa flexed their considerable muscle with a thumping 52-16 victory over Wales in their Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wales coach Warren Gatland names his 33-player squad for the World Cup on Monday and will have learnt much about his team from this home humiliation, in which they were out-muscled up front and out-thought with ball in hand.
The Springboks scored eight tries in all as hooker Malcolm Marx, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and replacement back Damien Willemse also crossed to go with a penalty try, though they will be concerned over a high error count and some poor kicking.
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi made a successful return from long-term injury with a superb 40 minutes in his first international appearance in 2023 and will hope to add to that when the Boks play old foes New Zealand in a final warm-up fixture in London on Friday.
Wales were without a trio of injured but experienced players in Dan Biggar, Alex Cuthbert and Liam Williams - all late withdrawals from the starting XV this week - but Gatland will still be concerned by how easily his side were dismantled.
"They had a lot of changes in their starting line-up but we had a plan and we executed it today," Moodie told Amazon Prime.
"Fortunately for me I’ve got the backing of the coaches and teammates to get the best of my ability. You want to make the most of the opportunities
"We have lots of competition as wingers but when you have the opportunities you have to use them."
The visitors controlled the game, but will be worried by a poor showing with the boot from flyhalf Manie Libbok as he missed kicks off the tee and out of hand, though he was superb in running the ball from the number 10 position.
As the only specialist flyhalf in the Boks’ World Cup squad, they need him to fire in every facet and this performance was perhaps a reminder of what they are missing with Handre Pollard out with injury.
Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Hugh Lawson
