Bok delight: Francois Hougaard en route to the winning try
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Defending champions South Africa were made to work extremely hard for a 17-16 win over Wales in a thrilling encounter in Wellington on Sunday.
Trailing 16-10 with fifteen minutes left, the Springboks had to dig deep to produce a try for replacement wing Francois Hougaard and clinch a hard-fought victory by the skin of their teeth.
Fiji still top Pool D on five points, but South Africa will now expect to win the "Group of Death."
After going behind in the early stages (South Africa led 10-6 at the break) Wales produced an outstanding hour of rugby to wrestle the lead back from the pool favourites.
Wales could not complain of a lack of opportunities as they had the lion's share of possession for the majority of the game.
Indeed, much of the pre-game talk centred around the Welsh pack's ability to match their opponents for physicality, but the men in red stood up to the challenge and have every reason to feel bitterly disappointed after coming mighty close to a memorable win.
South Africa looked dangerous in the first twenty minutes, but were outplayed for most of the remainder of the game bar a five-minute spell that produced the winning try.
Once the (mild) victory celebrations are done, the Springboks will also be sweating over the fitness of two key players after Jean de Villiers and Victor Matfield were forced off early with rib and hamstring injuries respectively.
South Africa were out of the blocks at a furious pace and took the lead after just three minutes when Frans Steyn scored in the corner. Jaque Fourie's initial break had put the Boks on the front foot before the ball was sent wide to Steyn, who smashed James Hook out the way to remind everyone of who the current world champions are.
After a shaky start, Wales settled down and Hook put them on the scoreboard after Pierre Spies was pinged for going off his feet.
The Welsh looked perplexed when referee Wayne Barnes denied them three more points when he adjudged that Hook's second penalty attempt had not crept inside the upright.
Morne Steyn extended South Africa's lead at the end of the first quarter by adding a penalty to his earlier conversion but Hook replied around the half-hour mark to leave the scores at 10-6. And so it remained until the break.
Wales spent the better part of 20 minutes camped in the Springbok half after the restart, dominating the battle for possession in the tight exchanges and impressing on attack.
Hook narrowed the gap to a single point on 50 minutes before number eight Toby Faletau crashed over at the end of an overlap to give Wales the lead going into the final quarter.
Shocked into action, the Springbok reply wasn't long in coming. Without their core leadership group (John Smit and Matfield were already off) they first made the brave decision to kick for touch rather than at goal from a penalty. True to form, they rumbled forward to open a gap on the side of a ruck through which Hougaard came flying to latch onto Fourie Du Preez's short pass and finish under the sticks.
Morne Steyn's conversion gave the champs a 17-16 lead.
Rhys Priestland missed a late drop and Hook couldn't find the mark with a penalty at the death, handing the Springboks an unconvincing victory.
Man of the match: A mention must go to Springbok openside Heinrich Brüssow, who was a tackling machine. But Wales skipper Sam Warburton was the standout player with a phenomenal display at the breakdown.
Moment of the match: There can only be one: Francois Hougaard's try came at the end of South Africa's only real attack in the second half...one was all they needed.
Villain of the match: If you're Welsh, we know who you would pick, but we're not going down that road.
The scorers:
For South Africa:
Tries: F. Steyn, Hougaard
Cons: M. Steyn 2
Pen: M. Steyn
For Wales:
Try: Faletau
Con: Hook
Pens: Hook 3
South Africa: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Johann Muller, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Butch James.
Wales: 15 James Hook, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Danny Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Paul James
Replacements:16 Lloyd Burns, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Bradley Davies, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Tavis Knoyle, 21 Scott Williams, 22 Leigh Halfpenny.
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
By Ross Hastie
Comments
island says...
It's called karma coming back around to even things up after the Peter Allan miscall in the 6N match against Ireland.
Posted 15:52 13th September 2011
APV1 says...
@ sandal - I wish I had! One of those moments you look back on and think, "If only I'd said xyz...". Like every time I have a blue with my wife!!!
Posted 16:11 12th September 2011
sandal says...
@ APV1
You say: "" With regards to the ref being in the way, why don't the players move him out of it? ... I remember joining a ruck (through the gate, I hasten to add) and taking the ref in with me. He got completely in the way and I was already crouched and running in. He stepped in front of me, so I gathered him up and in we went. ""
I hope you yelled out: "Roll away, Ref! Roll away!"
Referees should be made to demonstrate just how you roll away when you're pinned beneath a lot of bodies. APV1, you had the perfect opportunity to make him do it! Perhaps if you all pile on the ref next time you catch one in the clubrooms ...
Posted 13:57 12th September 2011
APV1 says...
@ bloemboy, "...counting the clock down." Why is it when England play this style they're so harshly critisised? I think it's a perfectly reasonable tactic. Is it because we do it for 78 minutes, rather than the last few..?! ;-)
@ Brianph, sandal, Rolf (and others), "Springboks deserved to win because they outscored Wales by 2 tries to 1." No. In RWC no-one "deserves" a win. The team with the most points on the board at the final whistle win, but the manner in which those points are scored is not important. And I know I'll be critisised for being too "English" in this way, but it's a RWC to win, not necessarily (thankfully for us English!), to win pretty. Anyone else remember the film White Men Can't Jump? And the two of them debating the merits of a slam dunk? I'm with Woody on this one - win first, that's the priority. Number of tries? Who cares if you loose.
@ Jimmy_Pitt - Hear! Hear!
With regards to the ref being in the way, why don't the players move him out of it? Like Iyhel, I also remember incidents of refs being pushed out of the way in a firm manner - serves them right. I also remember joining a ruck (through the gate, I hasten to add) and taking the ref in with me. He got completely in the way and I was already crouched and running in. He stepped in front of me, so I gathered him up and in we went. We rucked the opposition off the ball, he blew up for a scrum, our ball. Not sure whether that was the right decision from his point of view and the Laws... But my point is this - if he's in the way, then move him. It was worse watching BL stand directly in front of Jonny for most of his place kicks. I know JW had a shocker with the boot (and generally!), but why couldn't the ref stand behind him instead?
But what a great opening weekend, eh?!
Posted 11:56 12th September 2011
iolo says...
It's fair to say Wales lost the match nd that you have to live with poor referee decisions. The comments about SA playing badly but still winning - you could equally say Wales played badly - sleeping at the start and letting in a soft try. Wales could make similar excuses about selection and injuries. The this is still seen as the S hemishpere being better than the North is quite funny - by a whole point then!
The Boks also might want to remeber that in the last world cup the hammered england at this stage but the final was much closer - no margin for any Welsh improvment this time, you never know.
Aslong as we beat Samoa and Fiji....
Posted 10:16 12th September 2011
cannonball01 says...
good game to watch shame that this muppet is a ref .. yes there is a lot whinning going on and for good reason . that clown still asks if there is any reason not to award the try '' the question is was the ball grounded or not '' as by asking tmo you dont see any problem with outside of the ingoal area . steyns try was forward wales try foward ,,barnes provides escort for hougard to try line and misses a kick which went over.. the list goes on and on..on..on muppet
Posted 09:43 12th September 2011
speedogeorge says...
Wales v S. Africa - best game in the world cup so far...
... and I believe Mr Barnes deserves some congratulation for his role in this game. It is unfortunate that people focus on two controversial decisions within a six year international career.
On Sunday we enjoyed two teams, fifteen men against fifteen for 80 minutes, being allowed to play attractive rugby. The laws were applied with common sense and as a result the penalty count was equal lowest of all opening games (Mr Owens also managed just 15 penalties in a game involving Fiji). In the breakdown, we have an area in which disagreement with a small number of refereeing decisions will be generated in every match. For example, I felt Wales could have been penalised for off-side on a number of occassions, and you could argue Mr Barnes allows play to flow too far. However, neither South Africa nor the game suffered for this lack of enforcement.
In a tournament where referees have been given five areas to concentrate on to allow the attacking team to play, in the opening fixtures we saw some attempt to inflict thier presence on a game early. In doing so they created problems for themselves, shackles for both teams, and an unappealing rugby match . I would prefer more referees to adopt Mr Barnes' approach, and use thier wistles less not more.
Posted 09:39 12th September 2011
letsgoboks says...
Did JDV go off because of Adam Jones going in on him with a knee?
Posted 09:27 12th September 2011
ruggafan says...
@ big69
you do waffel on a bit don't you. Get a life! Great game to watch. Welsh played really well and the Boks need to brush up in certain areas. Well done though, a win is a win.
Posted 05:38 12th September 2011
pentwynfarm says...
Stop whining about that kick Wales. I don't recall any of you complaining about Mike Phillips's line out with the wrong ball that resulted in a try in the 6 nations that beat Ireland. That's rugby, sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don't.
And I agree, the best team never loses. Wales played way above themselves and lost, SA played very poorly for them and still won. In the WC it's all about the win. Playing well and losing counts for nothing.
Posted 23:12 11th September 2011
RealRugby says...
All the bok fans getting excited about scoring not 1, but 2 whole tries in a game. Lol! And not by your hookers for a change.
Posted 22:32 11th September 2011
StunTheMullet says...
Step forward all the Barnes apologists from 2007....
Of course it's time for everyone to grow up, as NZ as a nation was told to do by HRH Paddy, after a significantly more dire performance in 2007.
Meanwhile here Wayne is again 4 years later still up to the same old tricks including the new he perfected during the 3N of being the blocking runner to give the opposition holes to run into.
Add to that he's joined by clowns such as Clancy and Poite while Mark Lawerence wasn't invited to the part.
Posted 22:12 11th September 2011
jash says...
who cares what happened to Wales in the game...they will be hammered by both the island nations.....FIJI AND SAMOA
Posted 21:28 11th September 2011
rugbybutten says...
NZ and Barnes...crikey it goes on and on and on. Forward pass... it was a forward pass to Doug Howlett that got NZ past Wales in previous RWC
The kick today was down to 4 people. An Irish & NZ touch judge, Barnes and Sam. Sam should have at least asked the question of a possible TMO decision
Posted 21:19 11th September 2011
Herbman says...
Reading the comments, I'm surprised everybody's having such a go at the ref... I only saw one or two mistakes (par for the course) at the breakdown, and against both teams. Guess it's just the Welsh supporters trying to look for blame rather than graciously accept defeat. 24-1 now innit?
Posted 21:11 11th September 2011
Herbman says...
Great game, two teams going hammer and tongs at each other. Very well played Wales, they've made great strides in recent times. Boks made to work hard, but that will only benefit them looking ahead.
Oh and just one thing... I watched the game twice, once with SA commentary and the second time with NZ commentary. That God I don't live in New Zealand and have to listen to Grant Nisbett every Saturday. What a snorefest! You'd swear he's commentating on a bowls match.
Posted 20:59 11th September 2011
Zandberg says...
The encouraging thing for the Springboks is that they managed to win despite not playing that well. Don't forget they were captainless after Matfield went off. They worrying thing for Wales is that they lost despite playing well. The game was in their hands but they couldn't close it off. Wales got away with some forward passes (eg their try) and falling over the ball at the breakdown, but well done to them. They dominated the breakdown until Smit and Spies were substituted. There is no doubt now that Bismarck needs to start the game. As does Willem Alberts, instead of Spies. And Hougaard, instead of Bryan Habana. Lambie should be on the bench instead of Butch. Without these changes, Fiji will punish the Boks, as they nearly did in 2007.
Posted 20:49 11th September 2011
carpelone says...
Lots of positives for Wales.
Lots of energy from the back row. Not convinced by Priestland, I would choose Hook at 10 and Byrne at 15, this guy is class even though he is a plonker.
Very well done and again congrats.
Posted 20:30 11th September 2011
carpelone says...
About Barnes, I dont think he was so awful.
As far as Hook's penalty in the first half is concerned, he trusted the touch judges and the ball could have crossed the posts' line slightly outside to land apparently on target after that. Thought he was a little bit forgiving at breakdown with Welshmen. But nothing comparable to Bryce Lawrence.
Posted 20:25 11th September 2011
carpelone says...
First of all, congratulations to Wales, they had a great game, well beyond to what I expected.
After this game, I have the bitter feeling that the Boks are past of their use date, this applies to Smit, Spies, De Villiers and Habana at least.
I don't think that they will improve by just allowing them more game time.
I would like to see this for the next game.
Beast, Bismark, Guthro, Bakkies, Victor, Brussouw, Albers, Burger, Du Preez, M. Steyn, Hougaard, F. Steyn, Fourie, JP, Pienaar.
Also I think Du Preez had a stinker, undecided most of the time, especially on the defensive options he chose.
Posted 20:17 11th September 2011