South Africa vs Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Josh Adams try and Gareth Anscombe conversion make history
Follow all the reaction from Bloemfontein as Wales beat the Springboks on South African soil for the first time
Replacement fly half Gareth Anscombe kicked a late conversion from the touchline as Wales claimed their first ever away victory in South Africa with an error-strewn 13-12 success over a much-changed Springboks at the Free State Stadium.
Wing Josh Adams crossed for the only try of the game with two minutes left on the clock, leaving Anscombe with a difficult conversion to win the game, but he landed the ball through the centre of the posts to make history for Wayne Pivac’s side.
Stand-in captain Handre Pollard kicked four penalties for a Boks side that had 14 changes in their starting XV from the first test win and never found any fluency in a game where they mostly dominated territory until the final 10 minutes.
The third and deciding test in the series will be played in Cape Town next Saturday.
Follow all the reaction below with our live blog:
South Africa 12-13 Wales, 80 minutes
A minute left as South Africa restart proceedings.
Knocked on by Wales! Shades of the third British and Irish Lions Test in 2017 - has an offside player played it after the knock-on? Now, as then, the ruling is no.
Just a scrum. 35 metres out, just right of centre. A scrum penalty might suit the Springboks...
TRY! South Africa 12-13 WALES (Josh Adams try, 78 minutes)
Josh Adams hustles into the left corner! Surely not! Wales have been right out of this game for long periods of the second half but if Gareth Anscombe can convert this, they will be ahead with less than 90 seconds to play.
It is a well worked try, Josh Navidi pivoting at the line, feeding to Tomos Williams who fizzes wide to the backs. The hands are sharp, and Adams is over.
Can Anscombe convert from the touchline?...
He can! It’s over, and Wales lead!
South Africa 12-6 Wales, 77 minutes
Dewi Lake scored from a maul in similar position last week - can the hooker burst over again? No, but South Africa’s maul stall is illicit. Penalty coming and Wales can play with freedom!
South Africa 12-6 Wales, 76 minutes
Yet another errant Dewi Lake lineout means we can get a look at how South Africa assemble themselves. Damian Willemse will presumably step forward to ten, with Williams possibly on to the wing and Warrick Gelant to full-back.
We won’t get a look - Wales are awarded a timely scrum penalty! Debutant Ntuthuko Mchunu is pinged, and Wales kick into the right corner.
South Africa 12-6 Wales, 74 minutes
But it all goes wrong again. Handre Pollard fancies a cross-field kick but loses his balance, teetering like a tipsy teenager, and only stabbing ten metres in the vague direction of teammates to his right.
The ball ricochets to Taulupe Faletau, and Wales can play. They kick higher and longer, Damian Willemse making a hash of his collection and just about scrambling away a clearance.
Pollard injured himself kicking that ball, perhaps tweaking a hamstring, forced as he was to extend his right peg with his left entirely unsteady. Grant Williams replaces him, which will mean a backline reshuffle.
South Africa 12-6 Wales, 72 minutes
A prolonged period of Welsh possession just inside the South African half ends, almost inevitably, with an error. Adam Beard is surprised by the speed of the pass to him and knocks on.
Warrick Gelant thumps the kick deep into the Welsh 22, where Liam Williams kicks up. Wales clear, but not out of their own half, and South Africa can attack.
Missed penalty! South Africa 12-6 Wales, 70 minutes
Not the easiest for Gareth Anscombe. Wide on the left, some distance out...and pulled wide.
South Africa 12-6 Wales, 69 minutes
Hmm. Wales are clawing their way back in to this. Another lineout mishap appears to have granted South Africa possession, but the officials have spotted Eben Etzebeth’s big left paw slapping away Adam Beard’s arm as the two locks competed for Dewi Lake’s throw.
On comes the tee.
PENALTY! South Africa 12-6 WALES (Gareth Anscombe penalty, 67 minutes)
And where Dan Biggar erred earlier, Gareth Anscombe’s first kick for goal is true. Wales back to within a single score and restored to a full complement as Alun Wyn Jones, just about over the bemusement at his carding, returns from the sin bin.
South Africa 12-3 Wales, 67 minutes
South Africa aren’t really putting this one to bed, though, even against 14 men. Wales earn another holding on call at a ruck on South Africa’s ten-metre line.
Dillon Lewis is down in some discomfort; he will be replaced by Sam Wainwright, who makes a Wales debut.
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