Malcolm leaves Marx on the battling Welsh
BRAVE Wales were blown away late on by the Springbok bomb squad as Malcolm Marx’s try seven minutes from time gave the world champions their first victory in Cardiff since 2013.
Wales were never behind until that point but the power of the Bok bench – personified by hooker Marx – proved just too much as the visitors turned the screw in the closing stages to score the only try of a rain-ruined game.
It was a frustrating near-miss for Wales – not least because the most promising position they carved out in the second half was interrupted by a pitch intruder.
As they launched an attack down the left,
substitute Liam Williams found himself having to skirt the fool who had been tackled by stewards. He was deluged in beer thrown by the irate crowd as he was frogmarched out of the stadium.
“You go out there and you try to physically match teams but South Africa are one of the best in the world. The boys dug deep and showed a lot of physicality but our discipline probably cost us the result,” said Wales captain Jonathan Davies. “Frustration crept in a bit. Conditions didn’t help with the way we wanted to play. It’s a tough one.”
Wayne Pivac’s side were able to take a 12-9 lead into the break but when Marx and his heavyweight front row cohorts were introduced six minutes into the second period South Africa flexed their considerable muscle.
“I think the bench made a big impact. They were probably the deciding factor in the second half,” said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.
In a game of few chances Louis Rees-zammit came agonisingly close to scoring in the corner for Wales in the ninth minute but a superb cover tackle from Springbok captain Siya Kolisi put him into touch. Wales, playing advantage, had to settle for three points through Dan Biggar’s kick as the first half descended into a penalty-fest.
It was hardly surprising in the rainy conditions – the roof had to stay open because of Covid regulations.
South African prop Ox Nche was shown a yellow card in the 31st minute for a block on Tompkins – the straw that broke the camel’s back for referee Paul Williams.
By then Wales had already been handed a general warning by the Kiwi official and when Rhys Carre transgressed stopping a rumbling maul he followed Nche to the bin.
With the Wales back row scrapping for everything and Biggar metronically accurate off the kicking tee, the home side stretched their lead to six points after the break but Frans Steyn, on as a replacement in the
13th minute for the concussed Damian Willemse, replied with a monster penalty from five metres inside his own half and Handre Pollard pulled the
Boks level on the hour.
Makzole Mapimpi thought he had scored for South Africa in the 68th minute after a brilliaant counter-attack from Cobus Reinach but the try was ruled out for offside. But they were not to be denied with seven minutes left as a powerful lineout drive saw Marx bulldoze his way over.
Steven Kitschoff won the final penalty of the game in the last minute and Elton Jantjies knocked it over to seal a hard-fought win.