Springboks make it a year-end clean sweep
REPORT: The back-to-back World Champions South Africa ended their 2024 international season on a flawless note, beating Wales 45-12 in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Springboks headed into the fixture as overwhelming favourites – and delivered.
They outscored Wales seven tries to two in front of 60,000 spectators at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
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The win means Rassie Erasmus’ team conclude their year-end tour on a clean sweep for the first time since 2013.
The Springboks recorded wins over Scotland, England and Wales.
It also means that this was their 11th victory from 13 matches in the year and a winning percentage of 84.6 – repeating the feat of 2023. It is also the highest seasonal percentage achieved since 1998 when 11 of 12 matches were won for a percentage of 91.7.
For Wales, it is a 12 consecutive defeat, which sees them conclude a calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.
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The Boks’ sole losses were one-point defeats by Argentina and Ireland, a record of which Gatland and his backroom staff could only dream.
Wales’ last victory came over pool opponents Georgia in October 2023 at the World Cup, with Gatland having to blood a raft of inexperienced players after a host of seniors hung up their boots.
The pre-match entertainment included choirs singing Yma O Hyd, the Dafydd Iwan folk song that has become the go-to song for Welsh football’s ‘Red Wall’ support.
Ironically, it translates into English as ‘Still Here’, albeit in reference to Wales and the Welsh language and not Gatland.
The Welsh Rugby Union has its AGM on Sunday where discussions are expected on the New Zealander’s future.
The scene was set within the opening eight frantic minutes in the Welsh capital as the visiting lock pair of Franco Mostert and Eben Etzebeth each crossed for a try after deft attacking lead-up play by Kurt-Lee Arendse on both occasions.
Siya Kolisi was held up over the line by James Botham, but the Boks fired back to the Welsh line and Arendse got his just rewards for his strong start, stepping inside Blair Murray’s attempted tackle with ease.
Jordan Hendrikse converted two of the three tries to make it 19-0 after the opening quarter.
The Welsh pack, which managed to win five scrum penalties in the 20-52 loss to Australia last week, was under the cosh at the set piece.
It spelt out long minutes of defensive graft for Wales against wave after wave of South African attack, Jaden Hendrikse feeding first his powerful forward runners and then the straight-running midfield pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.
Murray did well to hold up Aphelele Fassi over the line and Kolisi had a try disallowed, but the toll on Wales was beginning to show.
How long could their defence hold out? Not long as the Boks promptly pushed Wales off their ball at scrum time and flanker Elrigh Louw barged for the visitors’ fourth five-pointer after a quick tap penalty by Jasper Wiese.
A rare Welsh incursion into the opposition half saw the home side, wearing white to avoid a colour-blindness clash with the green of South Africa, go for an attacking line-out, but the Boks repelled two 12-man mauls.
The ball was eventually moved wide and Welsh winger Rio Dyer showed a brilliant flash of raw pace to scorch the defence for a fine individual try. Sam Costelow missed the conversion to leave the score 26-5 at half-time.
Fassi crossed for South Africa’s fifth try after the outstanding Arendse split the Welsh line early in the second period.
A raft of replacements for both sides gave Wales a degree of respite, but it was not long before Gerhard Steenkamp was driven over from short range.
Things turned scrappy and the 67,236-strong crowd turned attention away from the action and Welsh hymns to foot-stamping Mexican waves, always a sure sign the game was well and over as a contest.
Jordan Hendrikse crossed for the Boks’ seventh try and converted for a personal game tally of 15 points before a Botham consolation try converted by Ben Thomas.
Man of the match: The Springboks were ruthless. Jasper Wiese deserves a mention for his solid work at the breakdown, while Franco Mostert was an absolute workhorse, making some monster hits. Cheslin Kolbe was lethal whenever he had the ball in hand. However our nod goes to Kurt-Lee Arendse, the wing was phenomenal on attack, setting up two tries and scoring one. On defence he was just as solid, putting in big hits.
Moment of the match: The Springboks dominated the 80 minutes, scoring some incredible tries. The moment had to be Rio Dyer’s try in the 39th minute when 60,000 spectators erupted at the Millennium Stadium.
Villian of the match: NONE
The scorers:
For Wales:
Tries: Dyer, Botham
Con: Thomas
For South Africa:
Tries: Mostert, Etzebeth, Arendse, Louw, Fassi, Steenekamp, Jordan Hendrikse
Cons: Jordan Hendrikse 4
Teams:
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Josh Hathaway, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 James Botham, 5 Christ Tshiunza, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Eddie James, 23 Owen Watkin.
South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Handre Pollard.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley, Damian Schneider
TMO: Andrew Jackson
