Rarely do I involve my own personal emotions and fanfare in these articles. But for the sake of disclosure, I am indeed a Welsh supporter - you can thank my Ebbw Vale-born dad for that.
Being a Welsh supporter is rarely easy. Currently, conversations aren’t usually filled with optimism or positivity. In a recent conversation with an uncle who I hadn’t seen in a very long time, our first point of discussion was the healthiness of rugby in Wales, particularly the Dragons’ failings. Not everyone can be as positive as Paul Williams.
Perhaps it is our own fault to an extent. We expect too much sometimes. An unexpected side product of the wonders that Warren Gatland worked for us over 12 successful years. And the cracks that he covered have been laid bare in front of us. Gats was always going to be a tough act to follow.
Wayne Pivac’s tenure so far has been strange. A Six Nations title win sandwiched between two tournaments where Wales won just a single game. The most recent tournament, the 2022 Six Nations, saw disappointment reach astronomical levels. Wales suffered defeat to Italy in the final round of the Six Nations. Young starlet Ange Capuozzo took the ball with seconds remaining and sliced through a defence once famed for its durability.
Wales were beaten by a team who had - and this is said with all due respect to the phenomenal efforts of Michele Lamaro et al - suffered a bruising 36 defeats before that.
In the subsequent months, the dialogue centred on the WRU’s consistent failings, its toxic culture, and the domestic scene’s relative obscurity. Problems which still persist and will do so no matter the outcome of this summer’s tour.
It is funny, however, how quickly one’s perspective can change in a mere 80 minutes. Specifically an 80 minutes which witnessed Wales - the side heavily predicted to be outclassed by South Africa - push them heroically to the limit and so nearly capture an illusive win on Springbok soil.
As Wales raced out to an 18-3 lead, my aforementioned South Walian father sat there stunned. The expression on his face a combination of shock and buoyancy. I shared his emotions.
Wales have never beaten the Boks on home soil. Saturday was likely their best chance to do so. It slipped away in the end. The physicality and accuracy of South Africa, which had been missing for practically the entire first half, finally got the best of the visitors. Three yellow cards and plenty more indiscipline - whether you agree with referee Nika Amashukeli’s decisions or not - cost them in the end.
Those doubts and fears that reside permanently in the brains of most Welsh fans, particularly those of the WRU as an institution, will still linger obviously. Far from alleviated. But the Welsh handled and arguably outplayed the Springboks for an entire half, and then defended like hell for large chunks of the rest of the game. Optimism has certainly been reinjected, no doubt of that.
I’m not sure how South Africans view it, but something extra has grown out of these bouts in recent years. When these two teams collide, the intensity is off the charts. Rarely have I felt more fervent as spectator than watching these two tussle at the Principality. Gladiatorial combat on the pitch as beautifully voiced Welsh songs do battle with ardent chants of “Bokke, Bokke, Bokke” from the attending Saffas.
One wonders if the South African supporters fire up the players just as much as the players fire up the fans. And that fire is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Springboks. Their physicality. The animality with which they overwhelm their opponents in the maul or scrum. There was plenty of that at Loftus. What was missing, was accuracy. And it became clear that accuracy, however vague that may sound, is the linchpin the South Africans’ gameplan.
The duo chiefly charged with imposing that accuracy were fly-half and scrum-half - Elton Jantjies and Faf De Klerk. Both were ineffectual and imprecise. It goes without saying that Jantjies had a horror show, and may well have played himself out of a Springboks jersey.
As Saturday evidenced, when those components are faltering; when De Klerk’s box kicks are inexact or Elton Jantjies struggles to control the game’s tempo, South Africa struggle to impose the physicality they’re renowned for. Of course, one expects Handre Pollard’s return to reintroduce some exactness.
However, it is a reminder that, on the rugby field, one thing is dependent on another. Makazole Mapimpi for example, who is one of the world’s best wingers in the air, rarely got a chance to show it as De Klerk’s box kicks faltered numerously. For there to be aggression, there must be accuracy.
In fact, the kick chase was a blindingly obvious contrast between the two sides in the first half. South Africa’s was slow, placing little pressure on the Welsh receivers. Taulupe Faletau caught the ball plenty of times with small challenge coming his way, and from there Wales could settle. Kieran Hardy would deliver a multitude of well-placed box kicks, and Wales’ own kick chase was fast and calculated and stressed the opposition.
Regardless of the host’s own errors, credit must go to Wales who gave them little room to breath in the first half. Consequently, South Africa couldn’t get into their groove.
A mark of top teams is the ability to make your opposition pay for the mistakes they make. No matter how the game is going, as soon as they give you an inch, you take a mile. That is exactly what Wales did in the first half. Like South Africa, the Welsh struggled to conjure up concrete attacking opportunities. George North got his hands on the ball about once. But when the few chances came they, or rather, Louis Rees-Zammit, took full advantage.
Tactical tweaks transformed the game for South Africa. Damien Willemse and a much-maligned Willie Le Roux took control of the game and steered South Africa to victory.
The frustration that Siya Kolisi talked about post game was calmed. The maul, which had been defended excellently in the first half by Wales, became its usual dominant self. South Africa became its usual dominant self. Yet Wales, in the face of a side clearly spurred by a rapturous Loftus crowd, stood firm and defended like hell.
A tour which seemed one sided. A series predicted a cakewalk for South Africa, has been blown wide open. Wales proved that they have the tools to upset the world champions - they very nearly did so with 12 men on the pitch.
Player Focus - Tommy Turnover
Tommy Reffell, aptly dubbed ‘Tommy Turnover’ by a select crowd of witty Leicester Tigers fans, had an international debut he can be more than proud of. A debut which confirmed Reffell has what it takes to succeed at this level.
Reffell swaggered around the Loftus green as he made 15 tackles, second only to Will Rowlands out of both squads. Like the ideal openside, he stuck to the action like a shadow. Stalking the ball with an eagle eye and clamping down on it with vice grip every time it showed itself.
Reffell has been phenomenal for Leicester this season as they romped to a first Premiership title in xx years. The Welshman, alongside his South African backrow partners Jasper Wiese and Hanro Leibenberg, has been the engine of Steve Borthwick’s impressive machine.
Its important not to be too hasty in our predictions or expect too much, but Tommy Turnover is a flanker that Wales can trust. One who will be become an integral part of this side in the coming years.
Le Roux shuns his haters
Willie Le Roux has, for some reason, received a fair bit of slander from some South Africans over the past few years. I haven’t seen much of Le Roux’s tenure at Toyota Verblitz in Japan, but as he rose from the bench and took to the field on Saturday, he proved outright that he still deserves a place in the squad.
Maybe this is my Welsh trauma speaking, but there is a bit of a Kurtley Beale vibe to Le Roux. He just feels dangerous. A player you need to keep your eye on at all times, or else he’ll punish you. When the ball is slowing and momentum is dwindling, he’ll be there with ball in hand to spark something out of nothing.
That is exactly what he did this past weekend. The game was Wales’ until he came on and wrestled control away instantly. Filling in at fly-half he drifted in and out of the playmaker role and controlled the tie. Using all the experience of a player with 73 caps, he reminded his many naysayers he’s still a vital cog in the Springbok machine.
Great effort by Wales but you need to reexamine the impact the referee had on the outcome. You are far too soft on the Georgian who made a similar mess of the Ireland v Italy game. The issue is the quality of refereeing globally and is the responsibility of World Rugby. But why give a match in Loftus , the first home Test for the Boks since Covid to such an inexperienced ref. Experienced commentators of the game cannot understand why Rhys Carre and Alun Wyn Jones were penalised , let alone carded. World Rugby has a duty of care to the spectators and media subscribers to put on a sporting event that does not become a farce because of rigid enforcement of rules by arbitrary decision making in the heat of the moment. I know its a tough job being a top class referee , but games like this should be refereed by the best refs. Wales were robbed of a win because of this breakdown in officiating.
Great article. South Africa went through a similar phase of being pessimistic about the Springboks. You can be proud of how Wales performed. You’ll bounce back. This has turned into a great rivalry