Dunn: Wales worthy opponents for Boks
Commentators predicted a win by 20 points!!
Unfortunately, this is NOT what happened and our Boks together with the coaching team got a massive, unpleasant frikken wake-up call.
Sometimes, I really hate being right. I predicted to Dean at the end of the match in Durbs that Wales would take a lot of heart out of the second half especially the last 10 minutes. I also said on air that Wales would want to slow down our ball and target Willie and Bryan.
They put on a really determined defensive effort in Durbs and they sustained it for more than 10 minutes without conceding any points. I knew that Wales are a very proud and passionate rugby country and would want to do much better this time. Well, they very nearly caused an upset of the decade! The Welsh Dragons have NEVER won on SA soil ever. This what SA took into the match and it nearly was their undoing.
Wales started with a bang and dominated every phase of play. In quick order, they scored a pen and 2 tries. Bok defence was in shambles and the boys looked shell-shocked. Big Vic who celebrated his 112th test cap for SA pulled the team together and they managed to put some attacking phases together. After repeated infringements by Wales, the Boks were granted a penalty try. Wales received 2 yellow cards and sadly that was the only time the Boks looked even remotely dangerous. Cornal added onto his personal tally after a wonderful off-load by Willie.
This was the last bit of decent play as Wales continued to dominate scrums, lineouts and generally made our Boks look like they had just started playing rugby. I am absolutely mortified that we had 2 penalty tries awarded and I am even more embarrassed that we frikken needed them!!!! At no stage did the boys look even remotely like they were in control.
We hit 70 mins with Wales leading us 30-17. I must give credit to the Boks. Somehow, incredibly, they managed to pull together, pull thumb out and make up the deficit. Wales did not help themselves by taking out Cornal and in the end; this is what made the difference. A lot of people are saying that a champion team wins even if it ugly.
I say that a Champion team treats the opposition with respect no matter what the score of the last match. I hope that the coaching team takes the very many valuable lessons out of this game and use it moving forward. I know that players will remember this match for a long time to come as a very, very lucky escape. Yes, we won, but it feels very hollow…sigh. Wales proved to be a very worthy opponent.
(File photo:Gallo Images)