South Africa vs Wales

Did you know?

The first time South Africa and Wales met in a test match was on the 1st December 1906 at the St Helens ground in Swansea. The score was 11-3 to South Africa.

Wales is one of the proudest nations in world rugby and the Welsh themselves are amongst the keenest followers of the game.

Over the years Wales have provided some of the rugby greats including legendary fullback JPR Williams and brilliant scrum half and captain Gareth Edwards.

South Africa and Wales played at the opening of the Millennium Stadium in 1999. The game ended up in a win for Wales by 29-19.

The 96 points scored by SA in the second last test was two more than the total number of points scored by Springbok teams against Wales in 8 previous encounters on Welsh soil.

The winning score of 96 was more than double the previous highest score against Wales, which was 40.

Record against Wales: 
• South Africa’s record against Wales in Cardiff: P: 18; W: 13; L: 4; D: 1; PF: 370; PA: 296; TF: 41; TA: 23; Average score: 21-16; Win%: 72%. 
• South Africa’s overall record against Wales is: P: 34; W: 28; L: 5; D: 1; PF: 892; PA: 532; TF: 108; TA: 45; Average score: 26-16. Win%: 84%.
• The top Springbok scorers against Wales are Percy Montgomery (91 points, 18 conversions and 10 penalty goals); Joost van der Westhuizen and Jean de Villiers (6 tries each); and Hansie Brewis, Lionel Wilson and Handré Pollard (1 drop goal each). 
• The match records are held as follows: Percy Montgomery (31 points and 9 conversions); Joost van der Westhuizen and Pieter Rossouw (3 tries each); Butch James, Morné Steyn and Handré Pollard (5 penalty goals each); and Hansie Brewis, Lionel Wilson and Handré Pollard (1 drop goal each).
• South Africa’s biggest win against Wales (83 points) was on 27 June 1998 at Loftus Versfeld, when the Springboks ran in 15 tries in a 96-13 triumph. On the day, Percy Montgomery scored 31 points with two tries, nine conversions and a penalty goal. 
• The Springboks’ biggest loss against Wales was on 26 November 2016 in Cardiff when Soputh Africa lost by 27-13.

Approaching milestones:
• Hansie Brewis (1951), Lionel Wilson (1964) and Handré Pollard (2015) are the only Springboks who have scored a drop goal against Wales. With a successful drop goal against Wales, Handré could become the sole record holder for most drop goals in a career against Wales.
• Should Handré score 11 or more points in this Test match, he will surpass Butch James in third place for the most points in Tests against Wales. Percy Montgomery and Morné Steyn occupy the first two spots.

The stadium:
• The original ground where the Principality Stadium is now situated, was known as Cardiff Arms Park, where Wales have played their first Test 134 years ago.
• South Africa’s first Test against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park took place on 14 December 1912, when Billy Millar’s Springboks beat Wales 3-0 in front of 26 000 spectators. 
• The old stadium at the Arms Park was demolished in 1997 to make way for the Millennium Stadium, which hosted the 1999 Rugby World Cup. The first Test match at this new stadium was between Wales and South Africa on 26 June 1999, when the Springboks ended on the losing side 19-29. It was South Africa’s first loss against Wales since 1906 in ironically the 13th Test between the two countries.
• Subsequently, the Springboks have won eight consecutive games at the stadium now known as the Principality Stadium, but lost the following three with the last one in 2017 by a narrow margin of two points.
• The seating capacity of the stadium is 74 500.