Springboks can hurt you ‘very, very quickly’, warns Wales forwards coach

Wales know they face a stiff challenge against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday as they aim to do better than the 73-0 drubbing they suffered at Millennium Stadium last November.

“We definitely want to and need to improve on that scoreline,” forwards coach Danny Wilson said on Tuesday afternoon ahead of the Nations Championship clash.

“But at the same time, we’re aware of the challenge that we have ahead of us and that we’ve got to raise our game from the weekend.”

Wales went down 35-21 to Argentina in San Juan in their second-round Nations Championship contest on Saturday.

“Italy, Baabaas, obviously into Fiji, we showed some of those progressions.

“And though the result on the weekend wasn’t what we wanted and there were some disappointing parts, there were also some positive parts and I think making sure that we’re recognising and building on those as well as improving some of the areas that we weren’t quite on it.

“We’ll have to be on it this weekend against a side that can hurt you very, very quickly.”

What the Welsh would prefer to remember is their famous 13-12 triumph over the Boks in Bloemfontein in 2022.

“That’s been mentioned and discussed as well and it was a very big win for for Wales in a difficult venue so the confidence drawn from those types of performances and what’s happened before are definitely in our minds as well,” added Wilson.

He highlighted the Springbok squad depth and said that was something Wales were trying to do, especially for the World Cup next year.

“What you saw with the Springboks over these three games, the depth of their squad and the quality of their squad — they’ve made changes from England into Scotland, from Scotland into us — and you still look at the the squad and you can see the strength and that’s what we’re growing at the moment.

“I think we’ve given some players some opportunities. We do need to grow our squad as well and I think we’ve kind of started to see a little bit of depth starting to build into some competition for places.

“Making our lives as coaches difficult to be able to select is is where we need to be.”

South Africa have now won five Tests in a row against Wales, who themselves triumphed in four consecutive matches over South Africa from 2016 to 2018.

Of the most used Test venues, Kings Park has given the Springboks their lowest win percentage at 62.2% with 23 wins, 11 losses and three draws.

The best is Loftus Versfeld (79%), followed by Ellis Park (69.6%), Bloemfontein (68.2%) and the now-defunct Newlands (64.8%).

Wales have brought out Freddie Thomas and Elliot Dee as cover for Taine Plumtree and captain Dewi Lake, who have both taken knocks.

In every area you have to be able to go against the physicality that you know South Africa have shown time and time again and that’s where they get their dominance from.

—  Wales forwards coach Danny Wilson

Wilson said Wales were looking to rectify some of the mistakes they had made against Argentina, but he pointed out that Wales had been lethal when they got into the opposition quarter — they just needed to get there more often.

“When we got into the opposition 22 — we didn’t have a huge amount of entries in there on the weekend, probably half of what Argentina had — we took our points, took our opportunities and scored tries and I think we proved that in other games as well. … We’ve got to double that up.”

He was happy with his team’s lineout and scrum. “This weekend is a very different challenge, [facing] the best set piece in the world,” he noted.

While Wales were looking forward to testing themselves against the world champions on their home ground, they knew what to expect come Saturday.

“It’s obviously a huge challenge physically. When I say physically I mean right across the park. In every area you have to be able to go against the physicality that you know South Africa have shown time and time again and that’s where they get their dominance from.”