After a successful win against the Barbarians and two exciting encounters with the Argentines, Wales’s new coach Mike Ruddock experienced his first heavy loss as his side faced South Africa in the final match of their summer tour.
Welsh-based fullback Percy Montgomery showed no mercy on his regional teammates as he inspired South Africa to a 35-point victory in Pretoria.
The Dragons star produced a faultless performance in the one-sided match at Loftus Versfeld, with his solid defence matching his attacking flair and deadly goal-kicking.
It was a disappointing finish to the three-match tour for Wales, who had no answer to the talents of fullback Montgomery and fly half Jaco van der Westhuyzen, and the power of lock Victor Matfield and back rower Schalk Burger.
The visitors’ line-out struggled early, and the Springboks’ pressure eventually told. Fly half van der Westhuyzen made a clever break and lobbed the ball up for skipper John Smit, who showed great hands and balance for a hooker to score near the uprights.
Montgomery converted and added two penalty goals after Wales prop Gethin Jenkins was penalised for punching and skipper Colin Charvis was penalised at the breakdown.
Wales fullback Gavin Henson kept his side in touch with a close-range goal, but the match started to slip away from the tourists in the 27th minute when impressive lock Victor Matfield smashed his way through a weak tackle from Jenkins and fed Brent Russell for one of the Springbok winger’s easiest Test tries.
On the stroke of half time, South Africa ruthlessly twisted the knife with a well-taken try to speedster Breyton Paulse. Quick ball to the left gave the little winger all the space he needed to turn Shane Williams and Henson inside out with a superb finish and Montgomery’s conversion gave his side a daunting 27-6 lead at the break.
The opening exchanges of the second half were all won by South Africa, and the Welsh cause wasn’t helped by an injury to No.8 Alix Popham, who had to be replaced by hooker Huw Bennett because back row reserve Jonathan Thomas was already on the field for injured lock Dieniol Jones.
South African inside centre Wayne Julies finished off some nifty work from Paulse to score his side’s fourth try, and Russell’s second gave the home side an unbeatable 39-6 lead on the hour mark.
Wales finally scored their first try of the match, a close-range dab from hard-working scrum half Dwayne Peel. However, his opposite number, Springbok replacement Bolla Conradie, showed some skills of his own with his side’s sixth try. Highly rated back row Burger added a seventh before Shane Williams scored a consolation effort in injury time.
