HEADY TIMES FOR WALES AS SHAUN TAKES THE PLAUDITS
WALES swept to their ninth consecutive victory when they defeated South Africa at the Principality Stadium — their best run since the far off days of 1999, Graham Henry, the Great Redeemer and all that.
They also completed an autumn grand slam for the first time.
Ten months out from the World Cup, it leaves Warren Gatland’s under-the-radar team in a particularly handy place.
MARK ORDERS assesses the winners and losers after a memorable day...
WINNERS WALES’S DEFENCE
It’s just a thought, but had Shaun Edwards been introduced to Davy Crockett in 1836, history might have turned out differently.
For Edwards is a man who knows how to see off serious opposition forces.
He has just overseen defensive operations against two Rugby Championship teams and restricted them to a single try between them.
Of course, the Alamo would have been a challenge, but you kind of guess if he’d been on the scene he’d have had more than a few mentions in the post-match interviews.
Being a modest sort, the man himself would no doubt deflect praise in the direction of Wales’s players, many of whom defended outstandingly in this campaign. Justin Tipuric, Alun Wyn Jones, Aaron Wainwright and Ellis Jenkins were to the fore again on Saturday, with Dan Lydiate and Ross Moriarty having been among those rattling up the tackles in previous games.
Over three matches in the campaign Tipuric completed 47 hits and missed just one.
Of course, the team has excelled in other areas, too. They were ruthless in attack in the second half against Tonga and scored a couple of nice tries against South Africa, while the goal-kicking has also been good.
And Warren Gatland has got his selections bang on.
But good defence has underpinned everything.
A major pat on the back to all concerned.
ALUN WYN JONES
He won his 120th cap for Wales and came up with a typically inspirational effort to mark the occasion, pointing the way with hard-yards carrying and brick-wall defending.
The big man is a player who brings the best out of those around him, with his lock partner Adam Beard having his most impressive game of the campaign.
The Ospreys are playing the 33-year-old Jones lightly this season and he seems to be thriving.
Rare is the match that sees him slumbering in the ranks of the ordinary.
He is someone who always turns up, and he did so to serious effect against South Africa.
SOUTH AFRICA’S PLAYERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA OPERATION
On full-time, South Africa Rugby’s social media operation finished their punch-by-punch account of the match by tweeting: “Congrats to Wales. Well deserved 20-11 win over the Springboks at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.”
What is to be said?
The men in myrtle green and those who travel with them have traditionally revelled in their image as big, bad Boks.
In 1994, they argued with the press over allegations of foul play and blamed Neath for the so-called Battle of The Gnoll.
Their public image in Wales was, er, not great and nor has it been brilliant on one or two other visits.
But that tweet on Saturday night was classy.
And pretty much every South African player, led by Eben Etzebeth, made a point of going over to commiserate with Ellis Jenkins as the flanker lay injured on the pitch at the end of the game.
If these people are not careful, they could start to become known as quite decent sorts, after all.
MALCOLM MARX
Great name, great player. His work at the breakdown was extraordinary.
ELLIS JENKINS
OK, the Wales back-rower ended the game suffering a serious knee injury. Some called it a disaster.
In that respect he lost big-time on the day.
But earlier he had produced a display that Martyn Williams described as “world class”.
There were turnovers, strong carries, a try assist and 15 tackles as the late replacement for Dan Lydiate fairly tore into the Springboks.
That isn’t the effort of a loser in any shape or form.
So we’ll leave him in the winners’ section, and wish him well on the recovery road.
LOSERS
SOUTH AFRICA AGAINST WALES Wales went 93 years without a win over South Africa before gaining their first triumph in 1999.
When that success came 19 years ago, grown men cried, such was the perceived magnitude of the achievement.
Victory over the Springboks was considered even more significant by supporters of a certain age than a tri- umph over New Zealand, for the simple reason that a Welsh side hadn’t managed it before.
Now Wales are on a run of four wins in a row over the Springboks.
Warren Gatland hasn’t so much ended the hoodoo as exploded it.
It’s an achievement that deserves significant respect.
SUPPORTERS USING PHONES DURING THE ANTHEMS
A study a few years ago concluded we are experiencing less as we record more.
And some psychologists reckon that means we are remembering less, too, if we are using our mobile phones to capture key moments in our lives.
This all came to mind at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Earlier in this campaign TV had cut to a gent of mature years in the crowd choking up as the pre-game Welsh national anthem finished, tears in his eyes. It meant that much to him. It was a glorious, touching moment. But others do things differently. Not for them savouring the experi-
ence of arguably the greatest anthem in the world ringing out in a packed arena.
Instead, some choose to film the event on their mobile phones. Each to his or her own.
But I keep thinking of that chap with the watery eyes.
He had experienced the moment to the full.
From here, that looked a pretty decent way to do it.
OFF-COLOUR IVAN
Reading some of the social media critiques of South Africa’s display, you would assume they had fielded only one man.
If Ivan van Zyl is thin-skinned it’s probably best if he doesn’t bother consulting them.
“Terrible” was about the kindest take on him in the 10 minutes this writer spent flicking through the verdicts.
The replacement scrum-half tried hard.
But his kicking wasn’t great and he gave away a silly penalty.
Others faltered for the Boks as well, including Aphiwe Dyantyi, who missed tackles opposite George North.
But it seemed to be van Zyl who copped much of the flak.
It would be beneath us to label him ‘Ivan the Terrible’, wouldn’t it?
But he’d probably agree he’s had better days.
ADAM BEARD’S LOCK RIVALS
Jake Ball and Cory Hill had strong claims to start for Wales alongside Alun Wyn Jones against the Springboks.
Both have made marks this month, with Ball outstanding against Tonga two weeks earlier and Hill proving a storming replacement.
But Adam Beard’s effort against South Africa further cemented the young lock’s position as Jones’s firstchoice lock partner.
Against top-drawer opposition, the 6ft 8in, 18st 5lb Osprey carried hard, made his tackles and packed a presence at rucks and mauls.
It was his best performance of the campaign by some distance and confirmed his big potential.
If he keeps developing he could be a key performer for Wales at the World Cup.
Messrs Ball and Hill will need to do a lot to oust him.
SOUTH AFRICA’S (ON-PITCH) COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
What was Duane Vermeulen up to during that headphone incident as the match in Cardiff came to the boil?
For those who missed it, TV cameras captured Vermeulen listening and seemingly speaking in to a communication device during a break in play, held by a chap carrying a drink.
Some pondered the legality of the move, citing a law that prohibits a player from wearing any such equipment.
It’s only a small matter now, of course.
But who was the No. 8 speaking to? Heart FM, perhaps? Was he making a request for his great uncle Fred’s 130th birthday? Was he talking to South African astronauts who had hitherto been kept secret from the world?
We should be told.