In this clash, two years prior to the Great War, Billy Millar’s South Africa dealt with the attacking flair of the home side by adding a dogged defence to the power, grit and determination shown in the inaugural clash between the two countries in 1906. The defence game would go on to become a benchmark of South African play up until the 1960s.
In front of a home crowd of 26,000 at the Arms Park, Wales were the much fancied side having produced six triple crowns against the home nations in recent times coupled with the 1905 defeat of New Zealand. However, try as they may, Wales could not break down a stern Springbok defence and to the dismay of the home crowd had no answer to Dougie Morkel’s sole penalty.
Whilst Wales may have had the patent on how to win a triple crown, the Springboks had worked out how to go one further. The result against Wales was their third victory out of an eventual four against the home nations between November 1912 and January 1913. They had beaten Scotland 0-16 and Ireland 0-38 in November and went on to defeat England 3-9 in early January, becoming the first Springbok side to achieve a clean sweep of all the home nations in the process.
