LONDON — South Africa’s
Jesse Kriel says the world champions have set their sights on finally ending a barren run in Cardiff when they face Wales on Saturday.
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Kriel will feature for the Springboks this weekend in a team showing just three changes from the side that beat New Zealand last month.
But Wales have won their last home four games against South Africa, giving them an eight-year unbeaten run when the Springboks visit Cardiff.
Kriel played in the 2017 and 2018 encounters but he is hopeful it will be a different story this time.
“They were both close Tests, and we obviously know — it was a different Wales coaching staff back then — that they had a very simple game-plan that they executed really well,” he said.
“We just didn’t handle it as well as we should have in those two games, but it is obviously something that we are aware of and it’s something we have worked hard on.”
“We have also come a long way as a team.”
Despite being without injured World Cup winners Cheslin Kolbe and
Faf de Klerk, South Africa will display enviable strength this weekend.
They field nine of the side that started the 2019 World Cup final against England.
A victory against Wales in their opening Autumn Nations Series match would serve as the perfect start ahead of clashes with Scotland and England.
“It’s great to have the whole squad together and keep the continuity,” said 27-year-old Kriel.
“Everyone is very excited about it. It’s not going to be easy. It will be a massive Test match.”
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