Wales v South Africa LIVE rugby: Result and reaction after Springboks condemn hosts to winless year
Wales 12-45 South Africa: The hosts were comfortably beaten to prompt renewed questions over Warren Gatland’s future
Wales were condemned to the ignominy of a winless 2024 as world champions South Africa proved much too good for Warren Gatland’s embattled side.
The hosts have looked completely bereft of confidence and belief as their losing streak has reached a record-breaking 11 games and they never felt likely to challenge a Springboks side who concluded an unbeaten Autumn Nations Series. There were signs of fight in the Welsh ranks, with Jac Morgan and others standing up impressively to the visitors’ physicality, but the final scoreline was predictably one-sided as South Africa ran in seven tries.
Gatland has looked like something of a broken man at points over the last year and questions about his job security have hugely increased following the historically bad past 12 months, with a real chance that he may leave before the Six Nations begins in February.
Re-live all the action from Cardiff in our live blog below:
TRY! Wales 0-26 SOUTH AFRICA (Elrigh Louw, 35 minutes)
But this one will count!
Classic Springboks. Their scrum simply pulverises their outmatched Welsh counterparts, driving them back over the ball and virtually into the River Taff. Jasper Wiese taps the inevitable penalty as quickly as possible and back row chum Elrigh Louw burrows through the remaining metre to score.
NO TRY! Wales 0-19 South Africa, 33 minutes
No try! Jaden Hendrikse’s fingers were caught in a jumble as Wales tried to disrupt breakdown ball, and the officials conclude quickly that the scrum half knocked it on.
The hosts survive again!
Try? Has Siya Kolisi scored South Africa’s fourth!
A vibrant, violent passage involving forwards and backs ends with the Springboks skipper crashing over - but was there a knock-on or forward pass in the build-up?
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 31 minutes
Problems in the Hendrikse household as Jaden’s slightly off-line pass is fumbled by brother Jordan, the fly half perhaps guilty of trying to put some footwork on before he had safely secured possession.
Wales just can’t get out of their own way at the moment. Josh Hathaway is a second Welshman pinged for a tackle in the air and Dewi Lake is called over for a chat by referee Karl Dickson. Consider the captain warned about his team’s discipline.
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 30 minutes
The Welsh scrum creaks slightly but Archie Griffin does really well to hold his feet and form. Ellis Bevan clears to touch about 30 metres from the line.
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 29 minutes
The pressure is relentless. Jordan Hendrikse so nearly collects a chip over the top to score South Africa’s fourth.
Here is a problem for Rassie Erasmus, though - Eben Etzebeth is limping badly. He trudges off in some discomfort as the Springboks fans (and a few Welsh ones, too) give him a huge ovation. What a player. RG Snyman is on.
The two sides of Springboks enforcer Etzebeth: ‘On the pitch, my mindset switches’
Now with more Test caps than any other South African in history, the lock opens up to Harry Latham-Coyle about his team-first attitude, friendship with Siya Kolisi and how he stays calm in the heat of battle
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 25 minutes
Held up again! More last-ditch stuff from Wales as Aphele Fassi is somehow denied! A cross-kick from Damian de Allende is intelligently batted back into play by Cheslin Kolbe, but Blair Murray recovers from being beaten in the air to get underneath full-back Fassi and prevent him from touching down.
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 25 minutes
Yikes. Well, it had been a solid start at the scrum from Wales, but Archie Griffin is folded by Thomas du Toit as two Bath teammates tangle. Du Toit, two spots ahead of Griffin in a loaded tighthead room at The Rec, is playing out of position on the loosehead today, but his scrummaging might remains.
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 23 minutes
That’ll be handy, too, a knock on near halfway from South Africa after an ambitious attempt to play with pace inside their own half. Wales try to settle into their shape, a forthright carry from Dewi Lake helping, but it isn’t long before they go to the skies. Aphelele Fassi comes from deep to try and defuse the bomb but cuts the wrong wire - knock on, Wales ball again.
Wales 0-19 South Africa, 22 minutes
Sam Costelow has passed his HIA and returns in the place of Eddie James. So little is going right for Wales, though - they infringe almost immediately after the restart.
That will help, though - Jordan Hendrikse misses touch, allowing Wales to defend somewhere other than inside their own 22 for a change.
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