Boks wallop Wales in season opener
06/22/2024 11:08 AM
The world champion Springboks overcame an indifferent first-half effort to convincingly beat Wales in their opening Test of 2024 at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.
Leading 14-13 at half time, man of the match Edwill van der Merwe scored one of the Boks’ four tries as fellow debutants Jordan Hendrikse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu each kicked seven points in a 41-13 win in London.
Boach Rassie Erasmus included four uncapped players in the matchday 23, which balanced youth and experience, and was captained by two-time World Cup winner Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Flyhalf Hendrikse missed an early penalty attempt in the third minute. However, outside centre Jesse Kriel finished off an impressive attacking move to score the opening try in the fifth minute, with Hendrikse converting to give the Boks a 7-0 lead.
Wales responded with a penalty from flyhalf Sam Costelow in the seventh minute, reducing the gap to 7-3.
Wales winger Rio Dyer was yellow-carded for offsides in the 11th minute, and the Boks capitalised with a penalty try after Wales collapsed a rolling maul, also resulting in a yellow card for No 8 Aaron Wainwright. This extended the Boks’ lead to 14-3.
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In the 30th minute, Bok fullback Aphelele Fassi was controversially yellow-carded by referee Chris Busby for dangerous play, and a bunker review for his boot to the neck of Wales flanker Taine Plumtree while receiving a kick in the air saw no warrant for an upgrade to red.
The Welsh took immediate advantage of their numerical supremacy, with skipper Dewi Lake scoring a try from a lineout, and Costelow converting to bring the score to 14-10. A 35th minute Costelow penalty further narrowed the Boks’ lead to a single point at the break.
Left winger Makazole Mapimpi scored in the corner shortly after the restart, and Hendrikse converted, extending the Boks’ lead to 21-13.
Hendrikse added a penalty in the 50th minute before Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a long-range penalty as the match entered the final 10 minutes.
Fellow substitute Bongi Mbonambi scored off a rolling maul, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the extras. Speedster Van der Merwe then burst up field to finish under the posts, sealing the victory for Erasmus’ charges in the English capital.
The Boks now have a week's break before the much-anticipated two-Test July series against Six Nations title-holders Ireland in the Republic, while Wales will regroup for a tour to Australia.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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