Springboks down Wales

Eurosport - Sat, 08 Nov 21:30:00 2008

World Cup holders South Africa opened their November international season with a 20-15 victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

RUGBY 2008 Test Galles Afrique du Sud Springboks Fourie Du Preez - 0

Centres Adrian Jacobs and Jean de Villiers scored tries either side of halftime and Ruan Pienaar, starting at fly-half for the first time in a test, kicked 10 points.

Wales missed their chance to claim only their second victory against South Africa after trailing 20-3 early in the second half.

Replacement fly-half James Hook converted four penalties to bring Wales back into contention in front of British and Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan, who was in the Cardiff crowd, only for the Springboks to prove their qualities in defence.

Wales's preparations were hampered by the late withdrawal of centre Gavin Henson, who failed to shake off a persistent Achilles problem that now threatens his role in the remainder of the autumn series.

Then, just five minutes after the kick-off, South Africa found a way through for the game's opening try.

JP Pietersen out-jumped Shane Williams for Pienaar's high kick, quick ball offered Schalk Burger space in midfield, Conrad Jantjes and John Smit edged the Springboks closer before centre Jacobs crashed over for his sixth international try.

Pienaar converted with ease before adding a penalty moments later to hand South Africa a dream 10-point advantage after as many minutes.

It took new cap Andy Powell to finally get Wales on to the front foot. The number eight passed his first test under the high ball before setting off on a barnstorming run that lifted the red jerseys.

However, Wales could not find a finishing touch as breaks by Powell, Ryan James and Williams went unfinished and Stephen Jones was off target with his first attempt.

Instead it was another first cap, 19 year-old Leigh Halfpenny wing, who landed his country's first points with a 28th minute penalty.

Pienaar extended South Africa's advantage to 13-3 before half-time with his second penalty, though the lead would have been more had he not spilled possession over the tryline moments earlier after beating three defenders.

Wales regrouped at half-time and were on the ascendancy as full-back Byrne showed his Lions credentials, smashing holes in the Springbok defence time and again.

Yet for all their possession, Wales struggled to breach a dogged South African defence and instead the game swung inextricably in the direction of the visitors with De Villiers' interception try.

Hook had only just taken the field to rapturous applause when his first pass landed in the hands of De Villiers who had a clear 60 metres of field ahead of him to score.

Pienaar's conversion put South Africa 20-3 ahead, though that was not the end of Wales. Hook made amends for his early blunder with a fine kicking display, landing four penalties to haul Wales back into the game.

The third followed a yellow card for South African replacement Jaque Fourie who was guilty of diving in as Wales desperately sought a winning try, after another burst by man-of the-match Powell.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 16 of 16

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  1. james hook is a load of @#$%

    From trigger64, on Mon 10 Nov 9:24PM

  2. You don't half get around, Nina G. You're not a­ slag, are you...?

    From GW, on Sun 9 Nov 12:52PM

  3. Good old game, Wales not good enough im afraid

    From tulip, on Sun 9 Nov 7:02AM

  4. Article is fine - good and to the point. No bias, one­ way or another.

    Can't say the same about the­ comments so far ......... comments should be­ honest,
    to the point. Try to be less biased guys, give­ credit where credit is due. Both sides bungeld and­ payed the price .....Boks nearly saw their what'its­ - complacent in the second half. Wales came out all­ pistons firing - there only problem was not getting­ over the try line ....... Bok defence?? SA Expat

    From Elize, on Sat 8 Nov 11:19PM

  5. Well done Wales. I thought that we just let the game­ get too far away from us In the first half and left­ ourselves too much to do. We do seem to have a problem­ with being slow starters though. Still a good win­ against Canada should bode well for the rest of the­ internationals. Let's not forget not long ago the­ boks put 100 points on us. We've come a long way­ since then.

    PS Nina Ive noticed your comments on a­ number of sites. You seem to be obsessed with retarded­ people. Is there something you are trying to tell­ us?

    Rob.

    From r.dodd486, on Sat 8 Nov 10:35PM

  6. It was the same 'what if' story for Wales, they­ played very well but just weren't clinical enough -­ they just can't seem to do the biz against­ S.Hemisphere nations...maybe that'll change,­ here's hoping!!!!!

    From Antony, on Sat 8 Nov 10:10PM

  7. Well i thought the match was for the taking wales just­ need to learn how to clinch the match. I don't­ think the boks had a weak team I just think Wales are­ getting better. My only question is why did Gatland not­ play peel in the first half things might have been a­ lot different.

    From rebeccastrevens, on Sat 8 Nov 9:26PM

  8. sorry folks, from an SA perspective, I found the match­ poor. Peter de Villiers' approach is all over the­ place. Is it change for change sake, I wonder?­ What's with all the kicking? Other than kicking­ possession away, I struggled to understand the tactics.­ Seemed pretty random - I thought he was promoting­ attacking rugby? You need possession for that.
    Our­ pedigree is there, but when your wings are spending­ more time flexing their muscles in defense, one­ wonders. Hopefully, we can see more of the stuff they­ are made of over the coming weekends.

    From baobabjim, on Sat 8 Nov 7:56PM

  9. come on now taffs,lets have it right, if only this if­ only that,we are getting better my ar2e the­ sheepsh@ggers,got a good hiding today,so just be honest­ about it

    From stephen, on Sat 8 Nov 7:50PM

  10. Great game, can you imagine those 2 divers in football­ Ronaldo and Drogba taking a hit from any of these boys?­ Hard but clean it was. Wales do need to cross the line­ more to get up amongst the top teams but I do hope they­ at least beat the Aussies. Definitely making progress

    From taff, on Sat 8 Nov 7:20PM

  11. Yeah. go South Africa. A brilliant game. it's a­ shame we didn't get completely cream them, but­ never the less a great game.

    :o)

    From Rosiejean12, on Sat 8 Nov 5:55PM

  12. As A Bok fan,I have always admired the spirit and pride­ Wales plays with. For such a tiny rugby playing nation­ they do fantastically well. I did feel they got away­ with a lot of negativities today and if they can remove­ that from their game they will be one hell of a force­ to be reckoned with. On the Boks who is at the end of a­ gruelling season littered with many a match, well done­ for hanging on despite a few cockeyed rfree­ decisions(lying wrong side of scrum,2 game pivoting­ knock ons by welsh on their own line not seen)

    From ruggers, on Sat 8 Nov 5:55PM

  13. It was there for the taking. Wales had the possession,­ territory and momentum, especially 2nd half, but never­ really threatened the line.

    If Wales are to take the­ next step and prove they are one of the world's top­ sides, they need to learn how to be clinical and put­ vulnerable sides away. They are certainly not far off,­ but they really need a big scalp this autumn to show­ they are worthy to sit at the top table of world­ rugby.

    PS. These are the wise words of someone on the­ wrong side of 6 pints. Hic... :o)

    From pokerduet, on Sat 8 Nov 5:40PM

  14. I think Wales' stpendous performance in the last 20­ minutes deserves a lot more than one line. After the­ changes, Peel changed the pace of thee game and Wales­ obviously believed they could win. If Hookie hadn't­ bummed his first pass, or Wales hadn't made any one­ of three errors in the last three minutes, the mighty­ bocks would undoubtedly have been game pie. By Jambo,­ Essex.

    From Stephen, on Sat 8 Nov 5:32PM

  15. the truth is not an invalid comment

    From ruggers, on Sat 8 Nov 5:01PM

  16. Woohoo I am the first

    From ruggers, on Sat 8 Nov 4:58PM
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