Liam Williams’ huge hit on Cornal Hendricks was adjudged to be an illegal one as the Sevens star surged towards the tryline way out wide on the right and the resulting decision from referee Steve Walsh and his TMO ensured Wales ended their three-match tour with the harshest of defeats.
Early scores from Jamie Roberts and the hugely influential Alex Cuthbert had helped Wales into a 17-0 lead but a brace of Bok tries in as many minutes meant the lead was down to 17-14 at the interval.
A third converted try from Ken Owens and penalties number two and three from Dan Biggar put Wales well and truly in control heading into the final stages but a 30-17 advantage slipped from their grasp in the cruellest of circumstances as Willie le Roux touched down on 71 minutes to set up a desperate finish that ultimately ended in disappointment for Warren Gatland’s men.
Having missed the target with his first shot at goal with just four minutes played, Biggar kicked Wales in front after 13 minutes when South Africa tight-head Jannie du Plessis failed to roll away after bringing Jamie Roberts to ground in midfield.
Morne Steyn could have levelled affairs three minutes later but he fell short and wide with his opening effort from halfway after Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones had made contact with opposite number Victor Matfield at a Springbok lineout.
Instead, Wales surged further ahead as Roberts crashed over from close-range after a lovely setpiece move that saw Cuthbert fend off two tacklers having taken an inside ball from Biggar 30 metres out. Cuthbert drew Bryan Habana as the Toulon flyer attempted to bring him down and there was no stopping Roberts from five metres out with 18 minutes gone.
Biggar’s conversion handed Wales a 10-0 lead and things got even better for the tourists as Cuthbert crossed for a stunning second Welsh try just five minutes later. The Blues wing was heavily involved three times in a quite brilliant attack as Wales repeatedly got behind the Bok defence through both backs and forwards before he took a pop pass from Biggar and powered through Jan Serfontein’s desperate tackle.
Again, Biggar added the extras – this time from 15 metres to the right of the posts – but the healthy lead all but evaporated in a two-minute spell midway through the second quarter as the Boks showed just how clinical they can be.
Luke Charteris saw yellow for twice being offside at a driven maul within touching distance of the Welsh line and referee Steve Walsh then awarded a penalty try as the Boks again powered forward. Steyn’s conversion made it 17-7 two minutes past the half hour and Wales suddenly found themselves down to 13 men as Biggar followed Charteris to the sin bin.
South Africa made Warren Gatland’s men pay within seconds as le Roux’s superb run was rounded off by right wing Cornal Hendricks as the home crowd went wild. With Steyn converting for a second time, Wales were suddenly pegged back to a three-point ball game but they held on until the break and the way in which they responded seemed to the tone for what they hoped would follow.
The manner in which the Boks finished the first half could have really dented Welsh confidence but it certainly didn’t seem that way at the start of the second period as Wales began brightly yet again.
Owens squeezed over Tendai Mtawarira’s tackle from Biggar’s short ball after Jonathan Davies had gone close near to the posts as Wales stemmed the Springbok tide in style. Walsh called for the TMO and the officials took their time to award the score but award it they did as the Scarlets hooker just about held on to control of the ball as he stretched for the line.
Biggar’s third conversion restored a 10-point gap but the Boks looked set to reduce the deficit almost immediately only for a huge hit from Davies to stop Bath flanker Francois Louw just a few metres short.
South Africa dominated possession and territory for much of what followed in the third quarter and they moved back to within a single score when Stade Francias fly half Steyn slotted a long-range penalty from straight in front of the posts with 55 minutes on the clock.
But Wales responded superbly and immediately as the irrepressible Gethin Jenkins forced Matfield to hang on at the breakdown straight after the restart and Biggar sent over the resulting penalty from 12 or so metres in from the left touchline.
Springbok second row Flip van der Merwe became the third man and the first South African to be yellow carded when he made contact with Alun Wyn Jones in the air a minute later and Biggar moved Wales 13 points clear with his sixth successful strike with two minutes of the sin bin remaining.
South Africa threw everything they had at the tourists in the closing stages and they brought themselves back to within a converted try when le Roux darted past Owens for their third try with nine minutes left to play. The inevitable conversion from Steyn left Wales just six points ahead and set the scene for the incredible drama that brought a thrilling Test match to a controversial conclusion.
