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Wales Online

Sport

Jon Doel

Tonight's rugby news as Springboks coach warns star Wales loss will 'haunt him forever' and Commonwealth Games squad announced

Wales Springboks Rugby Wales Sevens Jacques Nienaber Mike Tindall Sam Cross South Africa Tyler Morgan Bongi Mbonambi

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, July 13.

'Lose to Wales and it will haunt you forever'

South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber has warned Eben Etzebeth losing to Wales on his 100th cap with haunt him forever.

The Springboks enforcer celebrates the milestone on Saturday, 10 years after his debut against England. Hooker Bongi Mbonambi will also win his 50th cap.

Wales duo Alun Wyn Jones and Dan Biggar will be acutely aware of Nienaber's words after their respective 150th and 100th Wales caps were ruined by defeat to Italy in the Six Nations this year.

Nienaber told SA Rugby Magazine : "Both Eben and Bongi have big individual milestones, but rugby is a team sport. They’ve been given the opportunity to play in these milestone games because of good team performances.

“It’s a very proud moment and their families will be proud, but the key thing is that if you lose your 100th Test, I think it haunts you for the rest of your life and if you win it, that special day will stay with you forever.

“Their main thing is to focus on what the team needs. Both those guys have been warriors for South African rugby.”

Tindall backs 'boring' Boks to get job done

Former England international Mike Tindall believes Wales will run the Springboks close on Saturday, but fears the home side will just have too much.

Tindall is unimpressed with South Africa's style of rugby and says the fixture has a history of producing less than inspiring levels of entertainment.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, he said: "Whenever they play it is pretty dull, isn't it? It was the worst game that has ever been played at the World Cup in 2019.

"I hope Wales can do it. South Africa don't play great rugby, I don't think they do, but they can always stay in the game and win it because of their physicality and set-piece. Wales' job is to keep the ball in play, don't give them penalties, don't give them set-piece focus points. If they can do that, I think they can be in the mix. I think it will be close again but I just think South Africa have got too much to get it done. I hope I am wrong."

Wales announce Commonwealth Games squad

Wales Sevens head coach Richie Pugh has named his 13-man squad for the Commonwealth Games.

The Sevens will be staged at Coventry Stadium between July 29-31 where Wales will begin their campaign in Pool C against Fiji, Canada and Zambia.

There is no shortage of experience with Sam Cross having won a silver medal with Team GB in the Rio Olympics while Luke Treharne, Morgan Williams, Tom Williams and Owen Jenkins return from the Welsh 2018 squad which finished seventh in the Gold Coast Games.

Former Wales World Cup centre Tyler Morgan is also part of the squad.

WRU Head of Sevens Richie Pugh said: “It’s been a tough selection process. The squad is based mostly around boys who have been involved in our World Sevens campaign, adding the experience of Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross from the Ospreys and we’ve also kept Tyler Morgan after the Toulouse and London legs. Their pedigree certainly adds great value to the squad."

Commonwealth Games squad (Coventry Stadium July 29-31):

Luke Treharne (Wales Sevens)

Tyler Morgan (Unattached)

Morgan Sieniawski (Wales Sevens)

Sam Cross (Ospreys)

Tom Brown (Wales Sevens )

Callum Williams (Scarlets)

Owen Jenkins (Unattached)

Tom Williams (Wales Sevens)

Morgan Williams (Wales Sevens)

Cole Swannack (Newport)

Lloyd Lewis (Wales Sevens)