POOL D South Africa 17 Wales 16:JUST AS England had done the previous day, South Africa showed why they reached the World Cup final four years ago. They are the two teams most feared in this tournament because of their ability to confront adversity head-on, and both overturned deficits in the final quarter to win their first matches despite being outplayed for long periods. Never mind the quality, look at the scoreboard.
South Africa were hanging on at times as Wales, proficient in the set-pieces and strong at the breakdown, where Sam Warburton won his tussle with Heinrich Brussow, turned a 10-3 deficit into a 16-10 advantage.
They were within a few metres of taking a 13-point lead when Jamie Roberts supported a surge by Toby Faletau less than two minutes after the number eight’s try had given Wales the lead. Roberts, however, was stripped of the ball by Bryan Habana.
Within 10 minutes Wales were behind again, after Francois Hougaard spotted a tired Paul James guarding a ruck, eased around the prop and turned his side’s first meaningful attack of the half into seven points. Although Wales had two chances to go back in front, the outhalf Rhys Priestland was hurried into taking a drop-goal from virtually in front of the posts and pulled it wide before James Hook missed a penalty from wide on the right after Hougaard had been penalised for holding on.
Had Wales not been hit by injuries, they might have had the means to prevail in the final 10 minutes. Gatland used only one replacement, the secondrow Bradley Davies. South Africa, in contrast, made telling substitutions: Hougaard’s try was decisive while the introduction of the hooker Bismarck du Plessis generated vital turnovers.
Wales’ failure yesterday hurt the most because of the control they had exerted: the Springboks, who lost Victor Matfield to a hamstring strain shortly after the restart, made no impact on the Wales lineout and were twice marched back in the scrum. With Warburton rampant at the breakdown, they enjoyed 60 per cent of territory and possession against the holders.
Wales’s big players, such as Roberts, Mike Phillips and Alun Wyn Jones, all exerted a profound influence. Roberts thundered into challenges, invariably getting over the gainline, and felled runners in green and gold; Phillips was physical, demanding attention; while Jones was the focal point for a relatively inexperienced back five in the pack.
With Priestland cleverly varying his game, attacking the line and kicking intelligently, Wales played with a verve and skill that defied wet, blowy conditions. They had started badly, slow to rush up in defence as South Africa surprised them by moving the ball early, and they went seven points down after two minutes when Francois Steyn was put away on the right wing, after Warburton had missed a routine tackle on Jacque Fourie.
Then it was Wales’s turn to confound. They scavenged possession from South Africa’s first two lineouts and forced the Springboks to concede penalties at rucks. Hook converted one and thought he had nailed a second, only for the touch judge to rule the ball had drifted to the right. Hook was so convinced the ball had gone over, he ran back to prepare for the restart. He seemed too stunned to protest.
Wales did not allow the setback to disrupt them and 10 minutes into the second half, Hook’s third penalty brought them to within a point of South Africa, who were in virtually all-out defence. Priestland’s perfectly timed pass then left Faletau with a free run to the line. Wales were rampant, but Habana’s steal from Roberts marked the turning point.
A quality of champions is not to blink when looking down the barrel and when South Africa were awarded a penalty in their own half, Morne Steyn kicked it to touch, Fourie du Preez made space and Hougaard came into midfield off his wing, to confront James.
A bonus point may yet prove invaluable for Wales, whose next outing is against Samoa. Warburton struggled to finish the game after receiving a knee in the face that left him groggy, but declared he would be fit for the match against a team with a 100 per cent World Cup record against Wales. The next week will see how Wales react to adversity.
Guardian Service
SOUTH AFRICA: F Steyn; Pietersen, Fourie, De Villiers, Habana; M Steyn, Du Preez; Mtawarira, Smit (capt), J du Plessis; Rossouw, Matfield; Burger, Brussow, Spies. Replacements: James for De Villiers (24 mins), Muller for Matfield (44 mins), Steenkamp for Mtawarira (55 mins), B du Plessis for Smit, Alberts for Spies (both 56 mins), Hougard for Habana (60 mins).
WALES: Hook; North, J Davies, Roberts, S Williams; Priestland, Phillips; James, Bennett, A Jones; Charteris, AW Jones; Lydiate, Warburton (capt), Faletau. Replacement: B Davies for AW Jones (66 mins).
Referee: W Barnes(England)
