Meeting Wales for the second time this year, the world champions are on the verge of concluding their 2024 season with an unbeaten record on their UK tour.
This past weekend, the Springboks demonstrated their resolve and tenacity, clinching a 29-20 victory against England at Twickenham.
It was a hard-won victory which not only confirmed their status as the world’s preeminent rugby nation but also put them on track to potentially end their November tour unbeaten for the first time since 2013.
With memories of their previous encounter still fresh, hopes are high as the South African side gears up for their final challenge against Wales on Saturday at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Reflecting on the match against the English, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the challenges presented throughout the game.
Rassie Erasmus: “We were certainly not happy with the performance … (but) we are content with the result” 🗣#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #ENGvRSA
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 16, 2024
“It was competitive as hell,” he said, underscoring the strenuous nature of the encounter.
“It wasn’t fantastic, but if you come to Twickenham and you beat them (England) by nine points and you aren’t happy, you’d be (sounding) arrogant. We are content that we beat them.
“But just like last weekend, the scoreboard probably doesn’t reflect how close the game was. It was a one-try game with a couple of penalties missed here and there. Two tries – one from them and one from us – disallowed because of small infringements
A pivotal moment in the match was the resilience displayed by the Springbok defence in the second half. Even when prop Gerhard Steenekamp received a yellow card for team infractions, South Africa managed to keep England at bay, allowing just three points in a second-half where they were constantly under pressure.
Veteran player Vincent Koch played a crucial role, seamlessly adapting from his usual tighthead position to loosehead in order to maintain stability in the scrums.
“Getting cards is not something we are proud of,” Erasmus admitted, yet he commended his team’s character in overcoming adversity and defending like their lives depended on it.
“But hanging in there while we have one, shows the side’s character and the good planning by the coaches and players running specific areas of our game. If Vincent couldn’t play at loosehead, which we marked him down for on the team sheet, we would’ve gone to uncontested scrums and down to 13 men. Then we would’ve struggled to keep them out because they were doing quite well.
“It comes down to the experience in the squad. Most of the guys have played together in important games and most recently played in the Rugby Championship decider against Argentina.”
The Springboks now look towards their clash with Wales, a fixture that promises to be another test of their mettle. They arrived in Cardiff on Sunday and commenced their preparations for the weekend.
Wales may be in a bit of a slump, but the #Springboks will not underestimate their final opponents of 2024 😤#ForeverGreenForeverGold
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 18, 2024
Having already bested Wales on neutral ground earlier this year, the challenge of playing at the Principality Stadium poses a tougher ask, but the world champions are eager to conclude the returning season of Erasmus successfully.
Adding to the suspense is the situation of prop Ox Nche, who suffered a cut above his knee and had to be stitched up during the match against England. Nche, who was taken of earlier than usual due to the injury, will be assessed over the coming days to determine if he will be fit for Saturday’s encounter.
With only two losses this year – against Ireland and Argentina – the Springboks find themselves in a promising position, aiming for overall triumph as they continue to build their player capacity ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
