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South Africa v Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Damian Willemse kicks Springboks to last-gasp win

Follow reaction from the first Test of Wales’ summer tour as the Springboks break Welsh hearts

Harry Latham-Coyle
Saturday 02 July 2022 14:31 EDT
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(AFP via Getty Images)

Full back Damian Willemse kicked a pressure penalty after the hooter to secure South Africa rugby a 32-29 victory over ill-disciplined Wales rugby in a see-saw test at a raucous Loftus Versfeld.

Louis Rees-Zammit crossed twice in the first half to put Wales in control and Dewi Lake also crossed to seemingly snatch a draw late on for the tourists, who came agonisingly close to their first-ever victory on South African soil.

They ran the world champions so close but paid the price for their cynical play in their own 22 as they lost four players to yellow cards and conceded a penalty try.

The Springboks might have won by a greater margin but for their own lacklustre play as their tactical kicking was abysmal and decision-making in key phases of play unusually poor. Hookers Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, and wing Cheslin Kolbe, crossed for tries for the home side. The second of three tests will be played in Bloemfontein next Saturday with Wales still in search of a first win in South Africa after 11 attempts.

Follow all the reaction below with our live blog:

South Africa 3-8 Wales, 18 minutes

But South Africa’s narrowing of the gap may be brief as Lood de Jager makes a thumping tackle on a player without the ball...

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:34

PENALTY! SOUTH AFRICA 3-8 Wales (Elton Jantjies penalty, 17 minutes)

A swift run-up, a sweet strike - South Africa up and running.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:32

South Africa 0-8 Wales, 15 minutes

Right, fluids on board and on we go. South Africa make progress after a lineout with Damian De Allende doing some trademark hard-trucking up the centre. Penalty advantage is not used to the Springboks’ benefit - Elton Jantjies will try again from the tee.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:30

South Africa 0-8 Wales

The players take a water break, which offers us a chance to have a look at Louis Rees-Zammit’s early score:

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:29

Missed penalty! South Africa 0-8 Wales, 14 minutes

Off both posts! Not something you see too often as Jantjies’ kick first strikes the left-hand post, then the right, and back out into play into welcoming Welsh mitts.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:28

South Africa 0-8 Wales, 12 minutes

Round one at the scrum is won by South Africa - initially parity giving way to a slight Springboks nudge, and as it goes to floor it is Ox Nche rewarded for his work against Dillon Lewis.

Elton Jantjies will look to get South Africa’s scoring underway.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:26

South Africa 0-8 Wales, 11 minutes

This time Hardy does get the right amplitude, with Etzebeth again attempting a charge down.

Frans Malherbe topples awkwardly over the top of Taulupe Faletau and Dan Lydiate, who stoop incredibly low to try and stall the big tighthead. He lands on his head, but it is tough to see any fault on the part of the two Welsh back-rowers - a position also taken by the match officials after a brief check.

It will be a South African scrum on the left inside the Welsh half after Liam Williams had fumbled following an Elton Jantjies high bomb.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:25

South Africa 0-8 Wales, 10 minutes

It has been a very good start from Kieran Hardy, but that isn’t his best minute, manhandled by a little and large tag team of Cheslin Kolbe and Jasper Wiese, and then failing to clear Eben Etzebeth’s reach with his box kick. Hardy is lucky that the charge down skews into touch.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:23

DROP GOAL! South Africa 0-8 WALES (Dan Biggar drop goal, 9 minutes)

Is that over? It is! A moment of inspiration from Dan Biggar, forced to check on a pass from Kieran Hardy as Wales play aimlessly just inside the South African half. With options limited, he unfurls a long drop-goal, a little nine iron that collects a favourable breeze and drifts through the thin Loftus air, pitching down just beyond the crossbar.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:21

South Africa 0-5 Wales, 8 minutes

Wales thus kick deeper into South African territory but the lineout fails to function, and Wiese is soon doing what he does best, swatting away would-be tacklers as he bristles about.

Harry Latham-Coyle2 July 2022 16:19

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