Boks sneak into Wales for rugby mission

THE Springboks set foot in Wales yesterday, which for once was not keenly awaiting their arrival, but in frenzied anticipation of the unthinkable – a soccer match.

Cardiff City ’ s Premier League clash against neighbours and bitter rivals Swansea City was the talk of the town, and the Boks would have been grateful to slip in under the radar.

All that will change in the coming days as Wales refocus their energy on redressing the imbalance in the results column of matches against southern hemisphere opposition.

Back-to-back Six Nations crowns and their monopoly this year of the British and Irish Lions ’ production line makes Wales the undoubted kings of Europe. But they are now desperate to start conquering the other side of the equator.

“We have to move on from the success we had but also bring that into this kind of environment. It ’ s a different jersey and a different cause but you want to continue in a successful manner first as an individual then in whatever team you ’ re in,” said combative lock Alun Wyn Jones.

“We ’ re fortunate enough to start [the international season] with South Africa,” he told the Welsh Rugby Union ’ s news service.

“Yes, they ’ ve had a lot of change but they ’ ve got a number of guys who have been playing in the green jersey for a while. ”

Wyn Jones expects a fast, frenetic encounter on Saturday.

Given the foul weather the UK has been experiencing over the last week or so, that seems wishful thinking, although there remains the option of closing the roof of the magnificent Millennium Stadium.

However, Bok coach Heyneke Meyer is preparing for the worst.

“We want to be positive but the conditions are totally different. The fields are slower [in Europe]. We want to score tries but at the end of the day it ’ s all about winning,” he said.