South Africa to host Wales, New Zealand and Argentina in 2022

CAPE TOWN: South Africa will host Wales for the first time since 2014 when the teams clash in three tests before two home fixtures against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship pending COVID-19 travel restrictions.

South African Rugby released the 2022 schedule of home matches on Tuesday (Feb 8), which includes tests against Wales in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town in July.

With COVID-19 travel restrictions likely to still be in force later in the year, the Boks are hoping to play both Rugby Championships matches against the All Blacks at home – in Nelspruit on Aug 6 and Johannesburg a week later.

They will travel to Australia for two away games on Aug 27 and Sept 3, with the venues for those matches still to be revealed.

That will be followed by a trip to Buenos Aires to play Argentina before they return home and host the South Americans in Durban in their final Rugby Championship clash.

SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said they were delighted with the schedule a year out from the defence of their World Cup title, but added COVID-19 continued to loom large over the plans.

South African government regulations currently limit the number of people allowed inside sporting venues to 2,000.

"Pending the return of crowds to our tests and with the COVID-19 pandemic still presenting challenges throughout the world, we understand the fluid nature of match schedules," Roux said in a media release.

"But it is important for us that the team face quality opposition as we gear up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France."