How they rated
JOHNNY MCNICHOLL
He’s banged in fine performances on two successive weekends. Good at restarts, made smart decisions in contact and not afraid to counter.
LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT
A shaky start saw him drop two bombs early on and fail to make the most of a couple of half-chances. Couldn’t really exert a telling influence
JONATHAN DAVIES
No real impact in the opening half from the captain, with just one carry and a solitary tackle, but he came to Wales’ rescue after the break with a try-saving hit on Lukhanyo Am.
NICK TOMPKINS
Damian de Allende ripped past him at one point, but Tompkins had banked plus points by tidying up ball on the floor and floating the ball out wide.
JOSH ADAMS
Uncharacteristically quiet against New Zealand, he chased and covered well here, put in a 40-metre kick and claimed a high ball impressively. Also ran hard.
DAN BIGGAR
Showed how to take the ball in the air then pushed the Boks back with accurate kicking out of hand. Also nailed his goal-kicks.
TOMOS WILLIAMS
He battled strongly and largely gave a solid account of himself against Herschel Jantjies. Found himself pinballed back while attempting to stop Siya Kolisi.
STAR MAN: ELLIS JENKINS
Returning to the Test arena three years after shattering his knee against South Africa, Jenkins got Wales out of trouble at one point with a text-book turnover. There was also an interception which defused a potentially menacing Springbok attack.
REPLACEMENTS
Bradley Roberts: Not on long enough to mark; Wyn Jones 5: Couldn’t turn the scrum tables; WillGriff John 5: The Welsh scrum was pounded; Ben Carter: Not on long enough to mark; Seb Davies 5: A couple of decent carries; Gareth Davies 6: Busy but couldn’t really influence proceedings; Gareth Anscombe 5: The tide was flowing the other way when he came on for Biggar; Liam Williams 6: Pitch invader ruined a try-scoring chance, but Williams was eager.
SOUTH AFRICA
Willemse (Steyn 13); Kriel, Am, de Allende, Mapimpi; Pollard (E Jantjies 65), H Jantjies (Reinach 52); Nche (Kitshoff 45), Mbonambi (Marx 45), Nyakane (Koch 45), Etzebeth, de Jager (Mostert 59), Kolisi, Vermeulen, Smith.
REFEREE: Paul Williams (NZR).
RHYS CARRE
The fear was the scrum would send out distress signals while Carre was on. Worked hard, but coughed up a turnover and was yellowcarded on 37 minutes.
RYAN ELIAS
No shortage of character, with Elias accurate with all but one of his throws after the previous weekend’s misadventure against
New Zealand. The hooker also defended strongly.
TOMAS FRANCIS
Incurred the wrath of the referee as he gave away three penalties. Defended well but South Africa were dominant in the scrums.
WILL ROWLANDS
Brought in for the injured Alun Wyn Jones and more than justified his selection with some good work at the lineout and huge industry around the field.
ADAM BEARD
He was up against top-notch opponents for the second week running, but defended well and did his best in the close-quarter exchanges.
AARON WAINWRIGHT
Spilled a restart he should have taken even given the conditions but atoned with good work in that area for the rest of the first half. Worked hard in the trenches.
TAINE BASHAM
South Africa were on top at the breakdown before the break, but Basham carried strongly and put in his tackles. There was also a superb turnover on 49 minutes.