Seven Springbok try scorers sealed a 12th successive defeat for Warren Gatland’s Wales side who see no light on the horizon with their next ties in the new year against two strong outfits in France and Italy.
Gatland described the defeat as “a really tough game,” he added: “I cannot question how hard our players tried out there, I thought they gave absolutely everything.”
South Africa came out of the blocks quickly scoring their first of the match in the sixth minute. A break down the right flank ended in Franco Mostert piercing through the Welsh line after a smart pass from Jaden Hendriksen kept the attack alive, Jordan Hendriksen converted the extras to make it 0-7.
Minutes later the Springboks made it 0-12 when loosehead lock Eben Etzebeth dived across the white paint following a ruck in centre field, a quick one-two around Blair Murray with teammate Kurt-Lee Arendse was enough for him to score his first try of the autumn friendlies. Hendriksen struck the conversion wide of the posts.
The onslaught continued, but Wales were given a lifeline when South Africa captain Siya Kolisi drop the ball on the tryline to make it three scores in the opening 16 minutes. Despite the drop the visitor’s winger Kurt-Lee Arendse made it 0-18, the ball was shifted across the line quickly into the hands of their no.11 who drove towards the tryline line, making Murray miss and to extend his sides lead.
South Africa didn’t take their foot off the gas, in the 28th minute a kick to the corner was contested between Costelowand Arendse but dropped, with Aphelele Fassi waiting to pounce on the ball and score, after the play TMO ruled it a no try with the ball failing to make contact with the ground. Five minutes later the visitors saw another chalked off after a Jaden Hendriksen knock-on in the ruck denied Kolisi his glory.
Wales finally applied some pressure to South Africa, driven by the home crowd a hard fought two minutes of attacking play was teed off with a Rio Dyer try, who ran the ball in from the South Africa 22. Welsh fly-half Costelow was unable to convert the extras, ending the first half 5-26.
The second 40 was no different and summed up by a poor kick from Wales’s Tom Rogers who skewed it to their own 22, which gave his side little rest bite in a match where they are second best in all areas of the pitch. Gatland’s side lacked discipline throughout the affair, conceding 15 penalties, which gave the visitors utter control of the match.
Fassi managed to get onto the score sheet in the 55th minute after a cheeky fake pass from Arendse wrong footed Rogers, Arendse found Fassi on the outside who ran the ball home. Seven minutes later substitute Gerhand Steenekamp joined the scorers list, he snuck the ball onto the tryline despite attempts to swat the ball clear.
Springbok fly-half Hendriksen made it 5-45 four minutes from fulltime, a quick pass from Cobus Reinach into his path gave him the space to make it 15 points on the night.
James Botham earned a consolation try for Wales in the final attack of the game where the visitors proved their world number one status.
Starting Line-ups: 15-Blair Murray, 14-Josh Hathaway, 13-Max Llewellyn, 12-Ben Thomas, 11-Rio Dyer, 10-Sam Costelow, 9-Elis Bevan, 8-Taine Plumtree, 7-Jac Morgan, 6-James Botham, 5-Christ Tshiunza, 4-Will Rowlands, 3-Archie Griffin, 2-Dewi Lake (cptn.), 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.
Starting Line-ups: 15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Jesse Kriel, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 1. Thomas du Toit, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Franco Mostert, 6. Siya Kolisi (cptn.), 7. Elrigh Louw, 8. Jasper Wiese.
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
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