Welsh flanker accepts Springboks flak

Gareth Delve admits Wales can have no complaints with any sneering comments directed against them after surrendering to the South Africa.

The Springboks dispatched the Grand Slam winners 43-17 in a victory that has only hardened opinion in the southern hemisphere that touring teams from the RBS 6 Nations are a soft touch.

The world champions themselves may be towing a diplomatic line when it comes to assessing the strength of the tourists but the local media and fans make no effort to conceal their contempt.

Former South Africa internationals and newspaper columnists sniped away in the build-up to the tournament and Wales were incensed by the lack of respect shown to them.

But Delve claims Saturday’s capitulation has proved the critics were right to dismiss the champions of Europe.

“It was very frustrating after the match because we had read the quotes that it’s ’only Wales’,” he said.

“We found that hugely motivating but sadly we went out and showed that what our detractors were saying was true because we did not play well.”

Much has been made of South Africa’s physical superiority but the hosts’ pack actually conceded 21kg to their Welsh opponents and there was little difference in height.

Outside of the scrum, which Wales dominated, the Springboks made it look like men against boys as they ruled the contact area with embarrassing ease.

Delve, whose abrasive style should see him replace Dafydd Jones at openside flanker for the second Test, believes a mystique has built up around South Africa and New Zealand that Wales must destroy.

“We play against big guys week-in week-out,” said the Gloucester back row, who has seven caps without ever starting a Test.

“The understanding we have got to have is that they are big guys, we are big guys, so what’s the difference?

“We need to go out there and to impose ourselves. There is too much thought that the Kiwis and South Africans have got that right to run over you.

“Personally, I think that’s rubbish, but we need to go out there and prove it because words mean nothing. We have nothing to fear.

“The Boks are a fantastic team and they are world champions but we had put ourselves up there with our performance against some other very good teams.”

Delve continued: “It’s hard at any time of the year to face the Boks.

“They are one of the most physical sides in world rugby alongside New Zealand and maybe you’d put England in the same category for sheer size.

“But we have got a pretty big bunch of guys in this team and I would say that we were just a little bit off in the first 20 minutes of the first Test.

“We did not quite force ourselves on to the Boks and show them that we can match their physicality and the mental strength.

“That’s what we need to put right on Saturday.”

Even with a significant injury list that included Gavin Henson and Martyn Williams, Wales hoped to register their first victory on South African soil during the series.

Instead, talk outside the camp is of a damage limitation exercise in Pretoria and Delve believes it is time for Warren Gatland’s side to restore their damaged reputations.

“It’s disappointing for the guys who pull on the red jersey because we wanted to put ourselves where we belong,” he said.

“But we took a big step backwards because pulling on the red jersey is a huge honour.

“There should be a time when we pull on the jersey and think there is no point or that it’s damage limitation. That’s not a team I want to be involved in.”