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| Wales end the agony as Dan Biggar orchestrates defeat of South Africa | Wales end the agony as Dan Biggar orchestrates defeat of South Africa |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Leigh Halfpenny kicked four penalties as Wales beat South Africa for the first time since 1999 after an attritional battle against South Africa. | Leigh Halfpenny kicked four penalties as Wales beat South Africa for the first time since 1999 after an attritional battle against South Africa. |
| The Toulon full-back missed just one shot at goal, ensuring that Wales ended a dismal run of 22 successive defeats against the Springboks, New Zealand and Australia. | The Toulon full-back missed just one shot at goal, ensuring that Wales ended a dismal run of 22 successive defeats against the Springboks, New Zealand and Australia. |
| Pat Lambie booted two penalties for South Africa, but Wales were deserved winners following a display built on the set piece power of their pack. The Welsh fly-half Dan Biggar was named man of the match and was superb in maintaining the concentration of all the players around him. | |
| Before the start of the game, Wales paid a touching tribute to the Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died earlier this week, by leaving a lone cricket bat outside their dressing room as they prepared to enter the arena, before a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Hughes and Ireland’s 1948 Grand Slam star Jack Kyle. | Before the start of the game, Wales paid a touching tribute to the Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died earlier this week, by leaving a lone cricket bat outside their dressing room as they prepared to enter the arena, before a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Hughes and Ireland’s 1948 Grand Slam star Jack Kyle. |
| Halfpenny and South Africa fly-half Pat Lambie exchanged penalties during the opening 10 minutes, but a second Halfpenny attempt then struck the post, frustrating the home side as they hoped to make their early territorial dominance count. | Halfpenny and South Africa fly-half Pat Lambie exchanged penalties during the opening 10 minutes, but a second Halfpenny attempt then struck the post, frustrating the home side as they hoped to make their early territorial dominance count. |
| There were few clear-cut attacking opportunities early on, with both sides relying heavily on their respective kicking games, but South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth was fortunate to escape a yellow card following a high challenge on Biggar. | There were few clear-cut attacking opportunities early on, with both sides relying heavily on their respective kicking games, but South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth was fortunate to escape a yellow card following a high challenge on Biggar. |
| Wales continued to press, with Williams chasing a well-placed kick into space, and South Africa’s defensive structure started to be tested approaching the end of an opening quarter that saw the Springboks under comfortably more pressure than their hosts. | Wales continued to press, with Williams chasing a well-placed kick into space, and South Africa’s defensive structure started to be tested approaching the end of an opening quarter that saw the Springboks under comfortably more pressure than their hosts. |
| South Africa suffered a major injury blow when their captain Jean de Villiers was carried off after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. | South Africa suffered a major injury blow when their captain Jean de Villiers was carried off after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. |
| Wales, in an attempt to convert pressure into points, twice opted for 13-man lineouts, with only Baldwin and scrum-half Rhys Webb not involved as they camped close to South Africa’s line. | Wales, in an attempt to convert pressure into points, twice opted for 13-man lineouts, with only Baldwin and scrum-half Rhys Webb not involved as they camped close to South Africa’s line. |
| But such clever thinking outside of the box did not reap a reward, and South Africa moved upfield to create a sustained spell of pressure, forcing Wales into defensive mode. | But such clever thinking outside of the box did not reap a reward, and South Africa moved upfield to create a sustained spell of pressure, forcing Wales into defensive mode. |
| South Africa enjoyed dominance during the dying minutes of the first half, but they could find no way through either. It was 3-3 at half-time. | South Africa enjoyed dominance during the dying minutes of the first half, but they could find no way through either. It was 3-3 at half-time. |
| Both sides came out with plenty of intent as the second-half swung into action, but it was Wales who regained the lead through Halfpenny’s second successful penalty after South Africa were punished for not releasing possession. | Both sides came out with plenty of intent as the second-half swung into action, but it was Wales who regained the lead through Halfpenny’s second successful penalty after South Africa were punished for not releasing possession. |
| Irish referee John Lacey kept a vice-like grip on the contest, and there was no leeway for either team, and the Springboks quickly drew level through another Lambie strike, this time from 50 metres to make Wales’ lead a short-lived business. | Irish referee John Lacey kept a vice-like grip on the contest, and there was no leeway for either team, and the Springboks quickly drew level through another Lambie strike, this time from 50 metres to make Wales’ lead a short-lived business. |
| Defences continued to dominate and South Africa conceded another penalty after they tried to run possession from deep inside their 22. | Defences continued to dominate and South Africa conceded another penalty after they tried to run possession from deep inside their 22. |
| Such adventure backfired when tighthead prop Coenie Oosthuizen infringed, and Halfpenny completed his penalty hat-trick. | Such adventure backfired when tighthead prop Coenie Oosthuizen infringed, and Halfpenny completed his penalty hat-trick. |
| That was the cue for Springboks head coach Heyneke Meyer to make a double substitution, sending on prop Trevor Nyakane instead of Tendai Mtawarira and replacing flanker Teboho Mohoje with Nizaam Carr. | That was the cue for Springboks head coach Heyneke Meyer to make a double substitution, sending on prop Trevor Nyakane instead of Tendai Mtawarira and replacing flanker Teboho Mohoje with Nizaam Carr. |
| As the third quarter neared its conclusion, South Africa were still encountering problems breaching Wales’ defence, and then a mighty Welsh scrum had the Springboks in all sorts of trouble and Halfpenny’s fourth successful penalty made it 12-6. | As the third quarter neared its conclusion, South Africa were still encountering problems breaching Wales’ defence, and then a mighty Welsh scrum had the Springboks in all sorts of trouble and Halfpenny’s fourth successful penalty made it 12-6. |
| South Africa suffered a major injury blow when their captain Jean de Villiers was carried off after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. | South Africa suffered a major injury blow when their captain Jean de Villiers was carried off after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. |
| A lengthy stoppage ensued while De Villiers was treated, and he was replaced by Damian de Allende as South Africa looked to regroup going into the final 15 minutes. | A lengthy stoppage ensued while De Villiers was treated, and he was replaced by Damian de Allende as South Africa looked to regroup going into the final 15 minutes. |
| But their cause was not helped when wing Cornal Hendricks was ruled to have challenged Halfpenny dangerously in their air and referee Lacey brandished a yellow card, reducing the Springboks to 14 men with 18 minutes left. | But their cause was not helped when wing Cornal Hendricks was ruled to have challenged Halfpenny dangerously in their air and referee Lacey brandished a yellow card, reducing the Springboks to 14 men with 18 minutes left. |
| Halfpenny then departed the action, with Scott Williams replacing him, but Wales continued to enjoy the upper hand in terms of territory and they did enough to wind down the clock before starting to celebrate an outstanding win. | Halfpenny then departed the action, with Scott Williams replacing him, but Wales continued to enjoy the upper hand in terms of territory and they did enough to wind down the clock before starting to celebrate an outstanding win. |
| Dan Biggar said: “It’s everything. It’s been amazing. All the narrow defeats and everything, and this is what makes it worth it. | |
| “The crowd were awesome, the atmosphere is amazing, and it really helped us in the last couple of minutes. | |
| “We always seem to do it the hard way but the main thing is we crossed the line today and that’s huge.” | |
| He had some doubt Wales could finish the job. We’ve thrown things away so many times in the past,” Biggar said. “This is a real moment for us moving forward and hopefully there’s more to come. Everyone was superb. It was a great team effort and it’s just great relief.” | |
| Eddie Butler’s match report to follow | Eddie Butler’s match report to follow |