The Springboks started their last leg of preparations with a brilliant 52-16 win against Wales on Saturday at the principality stadium. However, despite being a brilliant several mistakes was made by the Springboks on the day that will cost them against stronger opposition.
The first half was still an arm wrestle with the Springboks leading 24-09. However, signs of the dam wall cracking were clear to see. Twenty-eight unanswered points were scored by the Springboks in the first thirty minutes of the second half. The Springboks led 52-09 before Wales scored a consolation try in the final minutes resulting in a 52 -16 win for the Springboks.
The Springboks started like a house on fire with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi offloading to Malcolm Marx to go over in the corner after just five minutes of play. Wales' Sam Costelow converted two penalties to wrestle the lead from the Springboks after twenty minutes of play.
The game started to open up with the Springboks starting to attack with purpose. Great interplay and handling by the Springboks spread the ball wide to Canan Moodie to score his third try in a Springbok jersey.
Following a third converted penalty by Wales, a dubious penalty try was awarded to the Springboks, which will be debated for a long time. However, the Springboks led 19-09 with ten minutes to play.
With the Springboks applying pressure on Wales, Jesse Kriel scored a try from a mistake by Wales on the defence, seconds after the penalty try, to extend the Springboks' lead to 24-09 which was also the halftime score.
During the first ten minutes of the second half the Springboks increased their dominance and with Wales on the attack Pieter Steph du Toit intercepts offloads to Jesse Kriel who goes in under the posts to extend the Springboks lead to 31-09.
The Springboks dominated the final thirty minutes and scored tries at regular intervals. Tries by Pieter Steph du Toit, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse increased the Springboks' lead to 52-09 and ten minutes to play.
Wales however, continued to attack at every opportunity and following a warning to the Springboks for conceding several penalties in the red zone, Wales tapped and Sam Parry barged his way over the tryline on the second attempt to reduce the Springboks' wining margin to 52-16.
Scorers:
Wales: Try: Sam Parry. Conversion: Cai Evens. Penalty: Sam Costelow (2)
Springboks: Tries: Malcolm Marx, Canan Moodie, Penalty Try, Jesse Kriel (3), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Damian Willemse. Conversions: Manie Libbok (5).
Teams
Wales: 15 Cai Evans, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Mason Grady, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Corey Domachowski. Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Max Llewellyn, 23 Louis Rees-Zammit.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Rudolph Snyman, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Duane Vermeulen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse.
