Rudolf Straeuli earned his first win as Springbok coach with a hard-fought 34-19 win over a tenacious Wales team at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on a sunny, but windy, afternoon.
The South Africans, with nine new caps in their match-day 22, led 15-11 at half-time, after finding themselves 11-3 down at one stage.
The Boks were expected to win this match against an under-strength Welsh team, but the first quarter of the game was much of the same of the class of 2001 as passes went astray, line-out's amiss and the kicking out-of-hand was wayward.
Wales punished the Boks for their mistakes, with left-wing Craig Morgan getting through some hesitant Bok defence in the seventh minute after coming onto the right-wing from a scrum in South Africa's 22.
Morgan's try came as a result of extended pressure from the Welsh after South African-born inside centre Andy Marinos powered his way into the Springbok 22, after his captain and No.8 Colin Charvis had done the initial damage with a bruising run.
Flyhalf Stephen Jones, who was a star for Llanelli in the 2001/02 Heineken Cup, missed the ensuing conversion, but he was on target soon afterwards when South Africa had a penalty reversed on their goalline when lock Victor Matfield got stuck into Wales's hooker Robin McBryde.
At 8-0 down the Boks would have been a wee-bit concerned, especially with the visitors' loose forwards beating the home team to the point of the breakdown with minimal fuss. The Welsh had scant respect for South Africa's big men up front with greenhorn blindsider Michael Owen, No.7 Martyn Williams and Charvis keeping their side moving forward.
The Springboks eventually managed to work their way into enemy territory and debutante flyhalf André Pretorius opened his Test tally with a wobbly penalty from just under 30 metres out.
But Jones had other ideas and the Red Dragons' stand-off cancelled Pretorius's penalty less than two minutes later with a well-taken drop-goal. Jones tried another drop-goal less than five minutes later, but a key moment emerged in the match from the 22 drop-out.
Pretorius's drop-out was sweetly-struck giving his captain Bob Skinstad enough time to hit Jones in the tackle -- after he had taken the re-start -- and create the turnover for South Africa. Johannes Conradie fired a pass out to André Snyman and Snyman fed Marius Joubert, who scythed through a gap before kicking into fullback Kevin Morgan.
Morgan knocked the ball on in the process, but with a scrum to the Boks on Wales's 22 there was a chance for the home team. The Boks went left and won the penalty. Conradie arrived at the scene, took the quick-tap and hit a gap before passing to Joubert who trotted over for the try.
The Boks were back, especially after Pretorius's conversion made it 11-10 to Wales.
Conradie was on hand again in South Africa's next forage into the Welsh 22 when a winding run of his freed Breyton Paulse, who got a very simple pass out to Bob Skinstad on the right-wing for a try. Pretorius missed the conversion, but the try had done enough. South Africa were in the lead for the first time as the half-time hooter sounded. It was a lead they would not relinquish.
Jones drew first blood for Wales in the second half with an early penalty, but the introduction of Pumas flyhalf Brent Russell -- fullback Ricardo Loubscher left the field with André Pretorius moving to the last line of defence -- gave the Boks an extra attacking option from first-phase.
Pretorius seemed to revel in the open space that fullback gave him and his smart run, chip and chase -- when he collected a kick just inside his own half -- gave South Africa an attacking line-out on the Welsh goalline.
James Dalton found his man, the Bok pack rumbled up and lock Victor Matfield bent down and planted the ball for the five points. Pretorius missed the conversion, but the Boks' lead started getting bigger ...
Their lead got even bigger as the last quarter approached when Paulse was held back when he chased a kick ahead from Conradie, who again caught the Welsh napping with a quick-tap, and referee Kelvin Deaker awarded a penalty try, which Pretorius duly converted.
To their credit, the Welsh did not give, despite being more than one score behind, and right-wing Rhys Williams joined his wing partner on the scoresheet after his forward managed to recycle the ball after finding some holes in South Africa's defence.
But the Boks had the last laugh on the day when Faan Rautenbach, who had a busy 20 minutes when he replaced veteran Willie Meyer, drove over for his team's last try of the day.
The crowd enjoyed it, as did Rautenbach's team-mates, who must surely realise that a lot of hard work remains for them ahead of next week's return Test in Cape Town.
Man of the match: Wales captain Colin Charvis had a big match at No.8 -- keeping his side moving forward and cutting the South Africans down with some strong defence, while halfbacks Dwayne Peel and Stephen Jones had steady games. For South Africa, Russell, Conradie, Pretorius and Joubert provided the fireworks, but the hard man of the loose trio, AJ Venter, did a lot of the donkey-work with some powerful runs and big hits.
Moment of the match: Skinstad's tackle on Jones spurred his side on and it just shades Faan Rautenbach's try. Rautenbach, who nearly gave up rugby because of a knee injury, hails from the Northern Free State and the locals enjoyed his first try in the Green and Gold of South Africa.
Villain of the match: There was a lot of pushing and shoving, but nothing serious enough to warrant this award.
The Teams:
South Africa: 1 Daan Human, 2 James Dalton, 3 Willie Meyer, 4 Jannes Labuschagne, 5 Victor Matfield, 6 Warren Britz, 7 A.J. Venter, 8 Bobby Skinstad (c), 9 Bolla Conradie, 10 Andre Pretorius, 11 Breyton Paulse, 12 Marius Joubert, 13 Andre Snyman, 14 Stefan Terblanche, 15 Ricardo Loubscher
Reserves: Adi Jacobs, Faan Rautenbach, Ollie Le Roux, Brent Russell, Joe Van Niekerk
Unused: ZDA48, Quinton Davids
Wales: 1 Iestyn Thomas, 2 Robin McBryde, 3 Ben Evans, 4 Gareth Llewellyn, 5 Steve Williams, 6 Michael Owen, 7 Martyn Williams, 8 Colin Charvis (c), 9 Dwayne Peel, 10 Stephen Jones, 11 Craig Morgan, 12 Andy Marinos, 13 Mark Taylor, 14 Rhys Williams, 15 Kevin Morgan
Reserves: Mefin Davies, Martyn Madden, Richard Parks, Ryan Powell, Tom Shanklin, Robert Sidoli, Neil Jenkins
Attendance: 34000
Referee: Deaker k.
Points Scorers:
South Africa
Tries: Matfield V. 1, Rautenbach S.J. 1, Penalty Try 1, Joubert M.C. 1, Skinstad R.B. 1
Conv: Pretorius A.S. 3
Pen K.: Pretorius A.S. 1
Wales
Tries: Morgan C.S. 1, Williams G.R. 1
Pen K.: Jones S.M. 2
Drop G.: Jones S.M. 1
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