2024 Wales rugby union tour of Australia

The two teams named their line-ups for this game on 18 June. South Africa were missing their usual captain Siya Kolisi as well as the rest of their Europe-based players, so Pieter-Steph du Toit led the team. They were also without the Bulls players who had reached the final of the 2023–24 United Rugby Championship play-offs, resulting in debut starts for fly-half Jordan Hendrikse and wing Edwill van der Merwe, while uncapped lock Ben-Jason Dixon and utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu were named on the bench. Prop Vincent Koch was named in the starting line-up to earn his 50th cap. For Wales, flanker Jac Morgan, who had co-captained the team with Dewi Lake at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, was ruled out of the tour with a hamstring injury, so Lake was named as captain, while James Botham filled in for Morgan in the back row after only being called up to the squad the day before. Lock James Ratti was also called up due to the unavailability of Cory Hill and named on the bench.[5] New Scarlets signing Henry Thomas was named to start the match, but pulled out on 20 June with a foot injury; Keiron Assiratti was promoted from the bench to replace him among the starters, while Scarlets teammate Harri O'Connor came onto the bench.[6]

South Africa opened the scoring early in the match as centre Jesse Kriel crossed for a try in the opening five minutes, converted by Jordan Hendrikse. Sam Costelow responded with a penalty for Wales, but they were soon reduced to 13 men as Rio Dyer and Aaron Wainwright were both sin-binned in the first quarter-hour, the latter offence resulting in a penalty try. Costelow missed the opportunity to close the gap further with another penalty shortly after, while Ellis Bevan fumbled a chance at a debut try following an interception by Liam Williams. After Dyer and Wainwright's return to the field, Wales took the numerical advantage as the game reached the half-hour mark, as Aphelele Fassi was shown a yellow card for a high boot on Taine Plumtree. They capitalised immediately as Dewi Lake claimed a loose ball and made his way over the line for a try, which Costelow converted before adding a penalty to reduce the deficit to a single point at half-time.

The first score of the second half came even quicker than in the first, as Makazole Mapimpi capitalised on a potential missed forward pass by the referee to cross for another converted try. Hendrikse then kicked South Africa's first penalty of the game to make it 24–13 with less than 10 minutes of the half gone. After a quiet next 15 minutes, South Africa put the seal on the win in the final quarter-hour, as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a penalty from inside his own half before converting tries by Bongi Mbonambi and Edwill van der Merwe, who was named player of the match.[7]

Wales coach Warren Gatland named a squad of 36 players for the tour on 3 June 2024, including four uncapped players in Cardiff Rugby scrum-half Ellis Bevan and full-back Jacob Beetham, Ospreys wing Keelan Giles and Gloucester wing/full-back Josh Hathaway. Also included were Japan-based lock Cory Hill and full-back Liam Williams. Cardiff wing Theo Cabango missed out on selection after suffering a hamstring injury in their Judgement Day game against the Ospreys on 1 June. Scrum-half Tomos Williams suffered an ankle injury in March 2024 and missed out on selection for a Wales test for the first time since March 2022.[11] Uncapped Scarlets centre Eddie James was a notable omission from the original squad, but he was added to the squad on 6 June.[12] Cardiff flanker James Botham was added to the squad on 17 June.[13] Uncapped Ospreys lock James Ratti was added to the squad on 18 June due to the unavailability of Hill for the South Africa test.[5] Bath wing Regan Grace was called up to replace the injured Giles on 20 June.[14] Hooker Sam Parry was a surprise withdrawal from the squad in the week of the South Africa test, having left the training camp after being told by Gatland that he was only going to be considered as cover for the other three hookers; Cardiff's Efan Daniel was called up in his place.[15] The travelling squad for the tour to Australia was announced on 24 June, with Assiratti, Dee and Henry Thomas as the omissions; Daniel, Grace and Hathaway were included.[16]

Caps and ages are as of 22 June 2024, the day of the first match of the tour.[17]

Australia named a 38-man squad for their tests against Wales and Georgia on 21 June 2024, including 13 uncapped players and 35-year-old fly-half Kurtley Beale, who had not played for Australia since their 29–28 loss to Wales in November 2021.[18][19]

Caps and ages are as of 29 June 2024, the day of the first test between Australia and Wales.