South Africa 17-16 Wales
Jack Leahy
Sports Editor
The most entertaining game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup so far saw Francois Hougaard’s try just about deny Wales what would have been an historic victory.
Warren Gatland’s side have always confident of their ability to compete with the best, and could hardly have been handed a sterner examination of such credentials in being paired with the 2007 champions in the first game of their title defence.
The Springboks were typically offensive from the off, efficiently moving Rhys Priestland’s drop-out through the phases before Frans Steyn managed to evade Shane Williams and touch down in the corner. The score was facilitated by a devastating missed tackle on Jacque Fourie, captain Sam Warburton the culprit.
‘Problems? What problems?’, asked Morne Steyn as he belied the tournament’s place-kicking woes to convert from the touchline.
Wales employed familiar tactics in keeping the ball in hand and moving their opponents all around the pitch, but could only manage two penalties from James Hook in reward.
Controversially, another Hook penalty was called wide by referee Wayne Barnes when TV replays, not consulted in making the decision, indicated that the ball may have crept inside the far post above the area marked out by the posts.
The first half ended at 10-6 to South Africa, but Wales had been on top in the ruck and more than matched their brawny opponents in the scrum and line-out.
Both sides were intent on perpetrating goal-line assaults on the restart, with Shane Williams’ typical touchline dash setting the platform for Mike Phillips to play a poor pass to Toby Faletau with the try line gaping. Opportunity: dead.
Galvanised by the injury-enforced replacements of Victor Matfield and Jean de Villiers, Wales launched another siege on the Springbok line. 2009 Lion Jamie Roberts crashed into the unyielding defensive wall to set a platform for Faletau to make the wall yield. The Television Match Official confirmed the touchdown.
Flanker Dan Lydiate was a liability for Wales, giving away numerous costly penalties. South Africa capitalised on his indiscipline to make ground and replacement Hougaard ran through a broken Welsh defense unopposed. Steyn’s conversion from under the posts put his side one point ahead with ten minutes to go.
Priestland missed a glorious opportunity to bag a drop-goal, hooking wide from directly in front of the posts. When Hougaard conceded a penalty on the counter-attack, Hook could not manage to convert from a tight angle and the Springboks reached the finishing line battered, bloody, but unbeaten.
To their credit, the Welsh management team are yet to blame Barnes’ disallowing of Hook’s penalty for their defeat. The experienced cast know that, had they taken their chances like a top-class side should, the decision wouldn’t have mattered after 80 minutes.
