Wales complete an autumn clean sweep by brushing aside the Boks
There were so many firsts for Wales to celebrate with this latest win over South Africa it was difficult for Warren Gatland to know what most to be encouraged by.
How about the first time Wales have ever won all four games in the autumn internationals? The first time Wales have ever beaten a member of the southern hemisphere’s big three four times in succession? The first time Wales have recorded nine consecutive wins this century?
Yes, so many firsts and so much thirst for Gatland’s last year in charge and for that World Cup in Japan.
This display summed up the Welsh progress. To think, they used to be profligate, but here they had two early chances and took them both and then backed their magnificent defence as the South Africans cranked through the gears.
The resources Gatland has at his disposal were also highlighted and when one considers that Taulupe Faletau, perhaps their most important player, has been missing, then it is obvious why optimism flowed as vibrantly as the River Taff through the capital.
“This is hard to put into words having been involved in autumns that haven’t been quite as successful,” said Alun Wyn Jones, the totemic captain, after winning his 120th cap.
The one concern was Ellis Jenkins being taken off on a stretcher late on with suspected ruptured knee ligaments. If anyone ever deserved to be carried out on the arms of his adoring public it was this 25-year-old.
“It was a simply outstanding performance from Ellis” Gatland said. “You have to really feel for him. It is tough to see a player who has worked that hard to get himself into the 23 and step up so well to finish like that.”
The Cardiff Blues flanker was only in the starting XV because of Dan Lydiate’s late withdrawal with an elbow problem, but how he grasped the opportunity. Jenkins set up the first try in the 10th minute with an outrageous dummy on Malcolm Marx, before allowing Tomas Francis to dive over. It was the Exeter tighthead’s first international try, but it was more historic than just that. Francis became the first Welsh prop to score against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia, an interesting footnote for the front-row union’s next dispatch.
From there, Jenkins only got better. Reverting to No8 following Ross Moriarty’s early exit due to a head injury, Jenkins picked up from the base of the scrum, giving Gareth Anscombe the time to execute a looping pass to put in Liam Williams.
That signalled the break and all the visitors had to show their efforts was one Handre Pollard penalty. In the 56th minute, the Boks at last found a path through the red wall, or at least around it, when Pollard’s pass allowed Jesse Kriel to dive over in the corner to turn all of that green dominance into points.
In the stands, Shaun Edwards, the Wales defence coach, put his head in his hands. It had taken Australia and South Africa more than 135 minutes to breach the home try line and Edwards so wanted it to be the full 160.
An Elton Jantjies penalty brought South Africa to within three points and Wales were plainly wobbling, Gatland threw on Dan Biggar and almost immediately the Lions fly-half had a huge impact. His quick-thinking after a Jantjies knock-on saw Wales chasing down a fine grubber and he nailed the resulting penalty from wide out.
Going into the last 10 minutes there were six points in it and in recent years there would have been utter panic throughout the Welsh nation. But with the monkey banished from their backs, Wales seem so much smarter and freer, but that probably had plenty to do with Biggar’s calming presence. Gatland has yearned for the sort of strength of depth when he can keep such an accomplished talent back as his “finisher”.
Jonathan Davies emphasised this ever growing self-belief by dancing through the midfield. Another Biggar penalty started the Principality party, as the stadium reflected that it took Wales had to wait 93 years to beat South Africa, but have now won five of the last six meetings. “This is a group of players the Welsh public should be very proud of,” Gatland said.