WXV Global Series highlights: Wales 50-19 South Africa

WXV Global Series highlights: Wales 50-19 South Africa. Watch highlights as Wales end a nine-Test losing run with a memorable WXV Global Series triumph over South Africa in Cardiff.

What happened

Figure caption, WXV Global Series highlights: Wales 50-19 South AfricaOld and new faces impressLynn had included three uncapped players in his matchday 23 and while they looked every bit at home in the international arena, it was the mainstays who most impressed. Figure caption, WXV Global Series highlights: Wales 50-19 South AfricaByCeri Coleman-PhillipsBBC Sport WalesPublished18 September 2026WXV Global SeriesWales (38) 50Tries: Keight, Tuipulotu 2, Lockwood, Davies, K Jones, Neumann, Callender Cons: Bell 5 South Africa (5) 19Tries: Jacobs, Tshiremba, Samboya Cons: Dolf 2Wales returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with an eight-try victory over South Africa at Cardiff Arms Park.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyImage caption, Wales co-captain Alex Callender celebrates victory with Keira BevanBacking it upWales face USA on Saturday, 26 September, also at Cardiff Arms Park, in their second outing of the new WXV Global Series, who like South Africa are ranked above Wales. Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyImage caption, Wales scored 50 points for the first time in more than two yearsByCeri Coleman-PhillipsBBC Sport WalesPublished8 minutes agoWales have set themselves a new standard after an impressive eight-try victory over South Africa in their WXV opener.

Inspired Wales seal stunning win over South AfricaPublished12 hours agoAs it happened: Eight-try Wales in statement win against South Africa Wales' new DNAThis was Lynn's third victory since taking over as Wales head coach last year and he said he could not be prouder. South Africa responded with Felicia Jacobs benefiting from a dominant scrum on Wales' five-metre line, but that was to be their only score in a one-sided half. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, South Africa are ranked number one in the worldByAlastair TelferBBC Sport journalistPublished13 September 2026South Africa further cemented themselves as the world's best team with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.

The wider picture

But having been outscored in terms of tries over the first two Tests, the Springboks flipped their pack-power trump card – pivotal to their back-to-back World Cup successes – to prevent a repeat of New Zealand's victorious 1996 series win in South Africa. The hosts had gone nine Tests without a victory heading into their WXV Global Series opener, with a tight contest predicted against a Springboks side ranked three places above them in the world.

South Africa then went down to 13, with lock Danelle Lochner sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Kate Williams, a card that would later be upgraded to a 20-minute red. South Africa show their threatFigure caption, Two tries for Sisilia Tuipulotu! As we know in Welsh rugby, things are never that straightforward and a wounded South Africa came out a different team in the second half. But South Africa chipped away, with Maria Tshiremba scoring her third try in just two appearances after latching on to a tricky crossfield kick.

South Africa: Dolf; Tshiremba, Samboya, Ngwevu, Malinga; Van Rensburg, Felicia Jacobs; Charlie, Gwala, Latsha, Ubisi, Lochner, Solontsi, Catha Jacobs, Welman. The fourth Test, played in the United States, came after three Tests in South Africa where the All Blacks continued to show promising signs under Dave Rennie.

What has been reported

Power remains Springboks' trump cardNew Zealander Tony Brown's arrival as attack coach in 2024 pointed to South Africa's ambition to dominate in all facets of the game. "South Africa have tried to play expansively a couple of times when we have dominance after hurting teams in the maul or scrum," Schalk Brits, a 2019 World Cup winner, told BBC Sport. It remains to be seen whether South Africa turn back to 32-year-old Pollard, as they did in 2023, on the biggest occasions to close out games.

Rennie, not the flashiest appointment, had to hit the ground running, and a stunning Test win over South Africa at Ellis Park was a case of doing just that. Four or more tries in each Test in South Africa showed just that, with the third Test all square at half-time. "Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Will Jordan has scored 55 tries for New Zealand World Cup rivals: France 'can play multiple styles', and be 'careful of Ireland'South Africa live for must-win games.

South Africa, who lost matches in the pool stages of the past two World Cups, are currently the favourites to win next year's tournament in Australia, bringing a pressure they have not experienced previously. "I feel like South Africa have an advantage as they can play multiple styles, and it feels like most other nations don't have that capability," Brits said.

What happens next

Figure caption, 'We are dying': Aunt of murdered woman pleads for action on femicideByPumza FihlaniSouthern Africa correspondent, Reporting fromEkurhuleniPublished9 hours ago"What we are going to do, I have no idea," sobs Nokwanda Matshikiza, reflecting on the murder of her niece Dineo Motapane. "Nokwanda is speaking to the BBC from the family home near South Africa's main city, Johannesburg, just two days after relatives identified Dineo's body. Either way, what has happened in this residential district east of South Africa's biggest city has traumatised the nation, shining a spotlight on a situation that many believe is a crisis.

South Africa's police issue detailed crime statistics every quarter, which show that between April and June this year – 5,427 people were murdered. It followed weeks of protests, culminating in a "Women's Shut Down" march as South Africa hosted the G20 summit. Rights group Amnesty International said an important first step towards protecting South Africa's women was to recognise femicide as a separate crime. It argues that making that change in South Africa could help focus on the scale of the issue.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across bbc.co.uk. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.