Wales 18 (12) South Africa 23 (9): The Springboks made a winning start to their three-match tour through the UK by beating Wales 23-18, but it was not a perfect performance.
There was a time when it felt inevitable that a Springbok team would somehow surrender a late lead to lose tight games. That entire mindset has changed, because now it feels like the Springboks will win even when they’re trailing going into the final 10 minutes.
On Saturday, at a cold and wet Principality stadium, the world champions overcame a 12-9 halftime deficit to come from behind and win — like they did in the second and third Tests against the British & Irish Lions and against the All Blacks earlier this year. The fact that the Boks can invite such high-quality players onto the stage in the critical final quarter, or earlier as coach Jacques Nienaber often does, emphasises the point that the sport is now a 23-man game.
Lukhanyo Am of South Africa during the 2021 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour match between Wales and South Africa at Principality Stadium on November 06, 2021 in Cardiff, Wales. “He shared a bunch of technical aspects because he has been here before, made the mistakes and knows how to play. It is a positive experience with a guy like Frans who has a wealth of information and he isn’t scared to dish it out. He is an unbelievable team man.”Like any tactic though, it must be well thought out and executed to be successful.
By the time the crucial maul that led to Marx’s try occurred, Wales were no longer able to illegally stop it, knowing they were under the microscope. In all, the Boks gave away multiple breakdown penalties and, on the few occasions, they broke the line, were unable to finish off the moves. The Boks also had a perfectly legitimate try, scored by wing Makazole Mapimpi, chalked off for a technical infringement, with some forwards said to have not retreated. Video evidence conclusively suggested otherwise.
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