Springboks maintain perfect Nations Championship start with bonus-point victory over Wales
Wales fail to score in second consecutive defeat as aggregate gap widens to 116-0
South Africa secured a seven-try bonus-point victory over Wales in the third round of the Nations Championship in Durban, extending their winning streak to 11 successive matches. The Springboks scored through Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Jessie Kriel, Jaco Williams, Herschel Jantjies, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Paul de Villiers, while Wales failed to register any points. The result maintains South Africa’s position at the top of the northern hemisphere table at the halfway stage, following earlier victories against England and Scotland.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus made 10 starting alterations for the fixture, fielding a side without key players including captain Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe, Ox Nche, and Eben Etzebeth. Among the changes, Sharks fly-half Vusi Moyo, aged 20, became the youngest Springboks number 10 after being handed his first cap despite having only one club start. Moyo scored three conversions during the match, contributing to the comfortable success for the double world champions.
Wales arrived in Durban with a stronger lineup than the all-local side that was defeated 73-0 by South Africa in Cardiff last November, but were still thoroughly outclassed. The Welsh side failed to register any points for more than two and a half hours of play, extending a long-standing drought against their southern hemisphere rivals. Wales captain Dewi Lake was passed fit to play despite limping off in the previous match against Argentina, while wing Josh Adams withdrew late due to a calf problem and was replaced by Ellis Mee.
The match was marked by South Africa’s dominance in set-pieces and Wales’ inability to breach the home side’s line. Wales replacement prop Ben Warren was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Marco van Staden, allowing South Africa to score another try through Arendse. The Springboks finished with a driving maul, with de Villiers crashing over as Wales had no answer to their opponents. South Africa received general warnings regarding ill-discipline and scrum penalties during the match, but these did not impact the outcome.
The victory highlights the significant gulf between the two nations, with Wales suffering their second consecutive defeat following a loss to Argentina. Steve Tandy’s side has now finished his first season in charge with nine defeats and three wins in 12 internationals. The aggregate score across the two matches between these sides stands at 116-0, further cementing South Africa’s position at the top of the world rankings while Wales lie 12th.
