The season of Autumn rugby Internationals concludes on Saturday with Wales v South Africa in Cardiff
So much felt commonplace about Wales’s 30th consecutive defeat to the All Blacks, it seems perfectly apt that Warren Gatland’s task to patch together a squad for the match which could salvage the autumn is also eerily familiar.
This is not the first time Gatland has to pick through his depleted troops for the visit of South Africa and his problem is not confined to the England–based players who might not be available because the Test falls outside the official international window.
While Owen Williams, Taulupe Faletau and Tomas Francis are all set to be back on Aviva Premiership business next weekend, Rhys Webb and Jake Ball are almost certain to join Wales’s ever-lengthening injury list.
Webb must go through concussion protocols after his early exit on Saturday and Ball’s shoulder complaint has provoked fears he could be a long-term absentee. With five Lions in Jonathan Davies, Liam Williams, George North, Sam Warburton and Ross Moriarty all already out, as well as tighthead Samson Lee, Gatland will be picking a much-weakened team for the visit of another Southern Hemisphere side after losses to Australia and New Zealand
In 2014 it was similar scenario in the build-up to Wales beating South Africa for the first time in 15 years, while 12 months ago acting head coach Rob Howley was also hastily forced to shuffle the pack before the 27-13 morale-booster over the Springboks.
Wales dominated possession and territory last weekend and undoubtedly created enough opportunities to record one of the nation’s most famous triumphs. However, it was the two All Black wings who staged the master-class in how to score. Rieko Ioane and Waisake Naholo scored two tries apiece, with the former taking the headlines as the 20-year-old with frightening potential.
South Africa beat Italy 35-6 in Padova on Saturday, scoring five converted tries to avenge their shock loss to the Azzurri last year. South Africa have struggled this year against top-tier teams, offered a very different performance to last year’s shambolic effort, controlling the game and using their big forwards as battering rams on a wet and foggy afternoon.
The Springboks scored four tries through the forwards, overpowering the Italians in the ruck and maul with the first two going to flanker Francois Louw, and hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who was making his first start.
Centre Francois Venter then scored out wide before halftime, cleaning up the ball from a kick to the corner.
In the second half, the visitors’ pack struck again, with replacement prop Steven Kitshoff touching down within minutes of the restart. Replacement lock Franco Mostert crossed under the posts near the final whistle to seal the victory, with man-of-the-match Handre Pollard adding his fourth conversion.
South Africa have delivered a mixed bag of results in 2017. They started off the year with a string of impressive performances and after claiming a 3-0 series victory over France in South Africa, they kick-started their Rugby Championship campaign with back-to-back wins over Argentina.
They then secured a 23-23 draw with Australia in Perth but things went pear-shaped against New Zealand in Albany where they suffered a 57-0 defeat – the worst result in the history of Springbok rugby. They bounced back from that humiliation by claiming another draw against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein before delivering arguably their best performance of the year in a 25-24 loss to the All Blacks in Cape Town.
But despite that impressive showing, their world came crashing down again when Ireland beat them 38-3, in their opening Test of their end of year tour, before scraping past France in a narrow 18-17 triumph in Paris a fortnight ago
Against such weakened opponents though they have a great chance to end 2017 on a high. With green-listed bookmaker, Betfair Sportsbook they are 4/6 favourites and should be backed outright (Wales 11/8)
Rugby Betting Prediction: Wales on the outright lines at Betfair
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