South Africa v Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Damian Willemse kicks Springboks to last-gasp win
Follow reaction from the first Test of Wales’ summer tour as the Springboks break Welsh hearts
Full back Damian Willemse kicked a pressure penalty after the hooter to secure South Africa rugby a 32-29 victory over ill-disciplined Wales rugby in a see-saw test at a raucous Loftus Versfeld.
Louis Rees-Zammit crossed twice in the first half to put Wales in control and Dewi Lake also crossed to seemingly snatch a draw late on for the tourists, who came agonisingly close to their first-ever victory on South African soil.
They ran the world champions so close but paid the price for their cynical play in their own 22 as they lost four players to yellow cards and conceded a penalty try.
The Springboks might have won by a greater margin but for their own lacklustre play as their tactical kicking was abysmal and decision-making in key phases of play unusually poor. Hookers Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, and wing Cheslin Kolbe, crossed for tries for the home side. The second of three tests will be played in Bloemfontein next Saturday with Wales still in search of a first win in South Africa after 11 attempts.
Follow all the reaction below with our live blog:
TRY! New Zealand 28-12 IRELAND (Garry Ringrose try, 44 minutes)
The perfect start to the half for Ireland! New Zealand twice infringe at the ruck, allowing Ireland to work the phases and chose their moment to look to strike out wide. Joey Carbery is fizzed a nice pass by Jamison Gibson-Park behind the forward carriers, and Hugo Keenan drives close.
A quick recycle and Ireland swing the ball to the left, James Lowe spinning out of a tackle and offloading to Garry Ringrose, who does very, very well to reach for the corner just as Ardie Savea arrives to drive him into touch. Carbery’s fine conversion ensures it is a seven pointer.
New Zealand 28-5 Ireland, 42 minutes
Limited early progress for the ball, and as it begins to crab infield, Dan Sheehan is forced to go it alone. Joey Carbery also casts a rather lonely figure as he wanders to the blindside, and is a little fortunate that George Bower’s failure to roll away earns Ireland a penalty. Once more to the corner.
New Zealand 28-5 Ireland, 41 minutes
Good start for Ireland, working the width well and earning a penalty on the edge of New Zealand’s 22 due to a lazy retreating All Black defender. No thought of the three, obviously - pushed into the right corner.
Second half set to begin...
No Johnny Sexton for Ireland as they prepare to kick off the second half. He has failed his HIA, and with the 12-day brain injury stand down, he will likely be out of the second encounter of the series, too. Over to you, Joey Carbery...
Is there any way that Ireland can claw their way back into this?
France survive significant Japan test
While we await the resumption in Auckland, news from elsewhere, and a rather entertaining encounter between Japan and France in Aichi. It was 13-13 at halftime and Japan had caused plenty of problems for a strong French side, but the Grand Slammers eventually had the quality to power away. Promising for Japan, though, with a number of newer faces in Jamie Joseph’s side.
H/T: New Zealand 28-5 Ireland
Here’s the second score, Sevu Reece’s long, unimpeded canter from coast-to-coast after Ireland had toiled for several minutes inside the New Zealand 22. This rather set the tone for the remainder of the first half.
H/T: New Zealand 28-5 Ireland
That all got out of hand rather quickly for Ireland after a really promising opening 20 minutes or so. The All Blacks have been ruthless thereafter, pouncing on too-regular Irish inaccuracies to seize control of the contest after Keith Earls had capped that early Ireland supremacy with a well-taken score. New Zealand had been awfullly rusty in that opening quarter - you’d suggest those four first-half scores may just have brushed that away.
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