SOUTH AFRICA captain Siya Kolisi returned to action as the Webb Ellis trophy holders overwhelmed Wales 52-16 in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff on Saturday.
The flanker, who led the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2019, partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament in April.
But there was no sign of the injury as Kolisi played the whole of the first half before going off at the break.
South Africa scored eight tries in the match, including a penalty try, in what was Wales’s final warm-up game, with coach Warren Gatland due to name his World Cup squad on Monday.
Springbok winger Canan Moodie, who also impressed in defence, scored two tries while Jesse Kriel also crossed twice as the centre ended a five-year spell without a Test try in style.
Wales gave a Test debut to full-back Cai Evans in a back-line without the injured Alex Cuthbert, Dan Biggar and Liam Williams.
The Springboks, with the Principality Stadium’s retractable roof left open, scored from their first entry into the Wales 22 in just the fourth minute, with Kolisi’s fine pass sending in hooker Malcolm Marx for a try at the corner.
Fly-half Manie Libbok missed the conversion and Wales then edged ahead at 6-5 through two Sam Costelow penalties.
But the Springboks hit back with their second try.
RG Snyman made a line break after the giant lock burst through a gap in Wales’s ruck defence before full-back Willie le Roux’s floated pass released right wing Moodie, who cut back inside the cover before going over for a try converted by fly-half Libbok.
Wales fly-half Costelow’s third penalty reduced the lead to three points.
But South Africa went further ahead with a penalty try in the 34th minute.
Le Roux’s chip into the corner was batted away by Rio Dyer, under pressure from Moodie.
Irish referee Andrew Brace initially felt Moodie had run past the ball but, after a lengthy video review, Wales wing Dyer was sin-binned and a penalty try awarded.
Moments later, South Africa had another try.
Damian de Allende kicked ahead but Mason Grady appeared to have snuffed out the danger by gathering the ball. But in trying to offload, the ball came loose out of his hands and Kriel pounced.
In a matter of minutes, South Africa had transformed a 12-9 lead into a 24-9 advantage at half-time, with Wales down to 14 men.
Kriel had a spectacular second try 12 minutes into the second half as he sprinted clear to crown a length-of-the-field move after Pieter-Steph du Toit intercepted a Wales pass near the Springboks’ line.
Du Toit then powered over from a close-range ruck before Moodie picked off Johnny Williams’s pass for his second try.
Fly-half Libbok, who landed five conversions, then sent in Damian Willemse as the Springboks posted fifty points.
Wales replacement hooker Sam Parry forced his way over for the hosts’ lone try late on.
South Africa continue their preparations with a warm-up game against arch-rivals New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday.
