Welsh steamrollered by Springboks

South Africa 53 Wales 18

South Africa produced a powerful display against Wales to record a comprehensive victory at Loftus Versfeld.

The tourists kept in touch with the Springboks until midway through the first half but they then eased clear thanks to tries through captain John Smit, Brent Russell and winger Breyton Paulse while Percy Montgomery was on fine form with the boot.

The second half was more of the same as the home side ran in four more tries although the plucky Welsh were rewarded for their efforts on the final whistle when Shane Williams touched down in the corner.

The Boks went into today’s match unchanged from last week’s victory over Ireland – while Wales had lost number eight Michael Owen with a back spasm. His place was taken by Alix Popham.

Former president Nelson Mandela was in the crowd, attending his first Springboks game since the 1995 World Cup final.

While the Springboks were the first to make sniping runs, it was the visitors who took the lead on six minutes when full-back Gavin Henson slotted over a monster penalty from the halfway line.

Both sides consistently moved the ball wide, the Boks looking the more dangerous. Winger Brent Russell was unlucky to be stopped five metres short after a dart left by midfielder Marius Joubert.

Russell was on the receiving end of an off-the-ball tackle a minute later when Welsh winger Hal Luscombe took him out as he chased a grubber into the in-goal area – but referee Steve Walsh was unmoved.

It was not long before the Boks crossed the goalline, Schalk Burger breaking a tackle to send the ball to fly-half Jaco van der Westhuyzen who sauntered through the Welsh defence only to be stopped short of the line.

But in the tackle, van der Westhuyzen popped the ball up to captain John Smit who rolled over the line to score.

Percy Montgomery converted to give the Boks a 7-3 lead before adding another penalty on the 20-minute mark.

Henson reduced the deficit to 10-6 after the Boks were caught offside, but the hosts were soon seven points back in front thanks to a penalty for Montgomery.

A poor clearance kick by Henson landed on the 10 metre line and popped up for Bok lock Victor Matfield, who bludgeoned his way through Gethin Jenkins and lumbered on before giving winger Russell the easiest runaround for the try.

Montgomery again was spot-on with the conversion to take the Bok lead to 20-6.

Breyton Paulse added the third South Africa try two minutes before the break, after a fluffed kick luckily dropped into the hands of number eight Jacques Cronje.

The ball spread wide with great speed, and Paulse swayed inside to break two tackles and go over.

Montgomery kicked his third conversion.

After the restart, it was more of the same – and the home side were unlucky not to score from a line-out drive which quickly thundered over the line but was adjudged to have been held up by referee Walsh.

Wales suffered a further setback when hooker Mefin Davies was carried off following a massive tackle by Cronje. He was replaced by Huw Bennett, and Wales used the long break to make other changes.

Jonathan Thomas replaced Dafydd Jones, while Ceri Sweeney came on for Nicky Robinson.

But when play restarted the Boks continued to dominate, throwing the ball about with abandon as Wales tried to plug the holes which were getting bigger all the time.

Wayne Julies added the fourth try after a touchline one-two with Paulse, but Montgomery missed the conversion to leave the Boks 32-6 up.

Duncan Jones and Darren Morris came on for Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones respectively shortly after the try.

For South Africa, Bolla Conradie and Gerrie Britz replaced Fourie du Preez and Pedrie Wannenburg – and Geo Cronje came on for Quinton Davids to join his brother Jacques as they became the first pair of Blue Bull brothers to play a Test at Loftus Versfeld.

Russell got his second to take the Boks further clear with a dart in at the corner.

Wales eventually crossed the Bok line, but it was in dubious circumstances.

After several penalties close to the line, scrum-half Dwayne Peel used referee Walsh as a shield as he ran in under protest from both the Boks and the crowd to put the Welsh into double-figures.

But with the tourists starting to feel the effects of the altitude, the hosts started running the Welsh ragged – and it came as no surprise that they replied within two minutes, with replacement scrum-half Conradie running around for the score as the home side edged closer to the half century.

It came up two minutes before the end when tigerish loose-forward Burger powered his way over from close range to give the Boks another milestone under new coach Jake White.

Montgomery claimed his sixth conversion – thereby taking him past Naas Botha’s record for the most conversions in Test matches for South Africa.

With the hooter gone, Shane Williams managed to get a consolation try for the Welsh – but it was a day where they were well beaten at their own expansive game.