DREAM DEBUT TURNS SOUR AS BOKS DELIVER CRUSHING BLOW
WALES’ latest defeat to South Africa was one that will live long in the memory of supporters from both nations. It was a match full of twists and turns and, as ever, there was good, bad, and a fair bit of ugly. So who were the winners and losers at Loftus Versfeld? Try these for size.
WINNERS TOMMY REFFELL
Making your senior international debut is one thing, doing it against a world champion Springbok team at altitude is a different prospect entirely.
So take a bow Tommy Reffell. Initial stats suggested the 23-yearold Leicester Tigers flanker had made 15 tackles, which said it all about his industriousness and work ethic.
One crucial turnover on Jasper
Wiese in the first half stands out because it stymied a South African attack which was looking likely to yield a try.
But that was just a snapshot of a hugely productive and mature performance for someone getting a first taste of the Test arena.
Another quality back-row player rolls off a permanently fruitful Welsh conveyor belt.
WAYNE PIVAC
When you are the head coach you take the flak in defeat and vice-versa.
This was not actually a victory, but, as perverse at it may sound, it felt like one.
Pivac has presided over just 11 wins in 28 matches since taking over from Warren Gatland after the 2019 World Cup. That’s not good enough by some margin and only a fool would consider his slate to be wiped clean by this.
Furthermore, you wonder just how critical the influence of his lieutenants Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins was to this turnaround. Both of those have so much experience of fronting up to South Africa in their own back yard.
Yet Pivac is the main man, and this has the potential to be a turning point.
The New Zealander has admitted to sleepless nights since the loss to Italy in March and has clearly been feeling the pressure.
The nature of this display has lifted that pressure somewhat.
But it’s just a start.
THE LOFTUS CROWD
This was the first time since 2019 that a sell-out crowd had been allowed to watch South Africa due to the ravages of Covid.
They got their money’s worth – and how!
Most home fans probably expected an easier time of things for their team, but what a Test match, what entertainment – and for them, the right team won in the end.
It was an occasion to reflect on just what rugby means to nations like South Africa, and to reinforce the notion that top-level sport is nothing without the people.
DAMIEN WILLEMSE
The Springbok full-back took on the goal-kicking duties in the second half after hapless No. 10 Elton Jantjies was hooked at the interval before he inflicted more damage on his own team through his jittery and errorstrewn display.
He knocked over a modest seven points with the boot, but it was his accuracy under pressure which stood out.
Not only did he slot the winning penalty in injury-time, he also landed a brilliant conversion from the touchline of Cheslin Kolbe’s 66thminute score.
He stepped up to become the difference between victory and defeat and deserves credit for doing so.
LOSERS DAN BIGGAR
The Wales captain wasn’t all bad. His first-half drop-goal and his in-yourface enthusiasm helped fire his side at important times.
But his slowing up of the ball after hauling down Faf de Klerk at the end of first half saw him yellow-carded, and while he was off the Boks scored through Bongi Mbonombi.
Then he missed that last-gasp conversion attempt that would have put Wales ahead with about a minuteand-a-half left, before conceding the last-gasp penalty that, although harsh, ultimately decided the match.
It wasn’t the easiest of kicks, but you would still have expected a kicker of his experience and quality to get it.
Biggar has played far worse in his time, including for Wales. But as he will remember this match for all the wrong reasons, he ended it firmly in the losers’ camp.
ELTON JANTJIES
There was speculation beforehand that the Boks would sorely miss flyhalf Handre Pollard and that there was precious little depth in the position available to the world champions right now.
None of that talk said much for
Jantjies, but frankly his performance did nothing but justify the sentiments.
He spooned an easy penalty wide early on and then got too greedy going for touch and minored the ball – much to the dismay of home fans.
He was withdrawn at half-time, a change which capped a personal horror show and one from which he may struggle to return. We’ll see.
All in all, not a good night for outside-halves.
FAF DE KLERK
He’s one of the golden boys of the
World Cup-winning squad and rightly so, as de Klerk is a top-quality scrum-half.
But his display epitomised the rustiness of South Africa before halftime.
De Klerk’s kicking was woeful the entire time he was on the field and he failed to provide the control for which he is renowned.
Class is permanent however, so we can probably expect something special from him in the second Test.
ALUN WYN JONES
When the Lions skipper replaced
Adam Beard in the 51st minute it was probably as part of a script that saw him being the safe pair of hands and assured leadership contributor that would steer Wales home with a victory.
But his impact was limited, and he couldn’t prevent his pack carelessly rolling a line-out maul into touch at a crucial moment in the second half.
Then came the yellow card that precipitated Wales’ eventual downfall.
There would have been nobody more frustrated than the great lock come the final whistle.