South Africa, the newly crowned champions of the world, have now achieved their first tour of Europe for rugby unaided for 11 years, and as suspected, the Springboks stretched the loss by Wales to a record-extending 12th.
For Cardiff yesterday, the Springboks started as 30-point favorites and surpassed that, winning 45-12. Their score though did not soar as high as the Welsh fans thought it would.
This year’s Wales squad was far less experienced, smaller, less powerful and had far less X-factor, but managed to restrict the Springboks to seven tries by making 215 tackles, missing 46.
Wales also showed character in fight and both ends of a half ended with a try from the South Africa opponent that prevented the highest-winning margin by Wales from taking place in Cardiff.
But this is how Wales ended the year: a calendar year, obviously; the first since 1937 when they played just three matches, and without a win.
Struggling coach Warren Gatland said he wouldn’t resign Bok should disband bomb squad he said jokingly. He has never wanted to stop trying to get the team back on the winning side, which hasn’t happened in 13 months.
“I personally needed to see a change today from that group of players,” Gatland said. “Our boys tried really hard. That’s what I was looking for against an absolute class team. That score could have completely blown out and guys stopped trying but they were still working through the full 80 minutes.”
Amidst the Springboks side was captain Siya Kolisi.
“You gotta be realistic about things,” Kolisi said. “As long as they keep working hard and keep on believing that things will change …next year they will be a little more experienced, and they can give a bit more. This is a proud rugby nation, just the same as South Africa, and so much respect for the Welsh team. That’s why we had our best team on the field and gave everything.”
South Africa opened with a bang; in a fantastic year post World Cup, they won over Wales -41-13-first in June at Twickenham- 11 out of 13 Tests, with the losses coming by one point each. They also had wins in Scotland and England this month.
That’s how the Springboks opened.
Locks Franco Mostert and Eben Etzebeth marched over in the opening eight minutes – with a number of their combined 207 caps equaling the entire Wales XV’s 214.
By the time wing Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed after big passes from fellow backs Jordan Hendrikse and Aphelele Fassi, it was 19-0 for South Africa after only 19 minutes.
The visitors then regained their track when they shoved back Wales’ scrum. They took tighthead Archie Griffin off the field. Flanker Elrigh Louw finished off the play after Jasper Wiese’s tap and go.
With four minutes to spare, Wales finally managed to penetrate into the Boks 22. The Boks appeared to hold out three consecutive attacking lineouts but the ball found wing Rio Dyer who glided between two defenders to score in the right corner.
Both turned their benches loose and the game flowed naturalistic.
Then followed tries for Fassi from an Arendse break; Gerhard Steenekamp got his first Test rugby; and Hendrikse had his first start in the Test rugby for the first time with his brother Jaden before he scored following offloads from replacement Handre Pollard and Cobus Reinach.
But right at the death again, Wales flanker James Botham plunged over to cap a performance that will be cherished alongside those of Jac Morgan and captain Dewi Lake.
