South Africa v Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Springboks win the series in Cape Town

Reaction from Cape Town as Wales lose to the Springboks in the series decider

(Getty Images)

South Africa won a decisive third Test 30-14 versus Wales to secure the series 2-1 and halt a run of northern hemisphere victories after success for Ireland and England earlier in the day.

Fly-half Handre Polland scored 20 points, including the first try, as the world champions outscored the tourists three tries to one.

Bongi Mbonambi and captain Siya Kolisi added the other Springbok tries with Pollard kicking three conversions and three penalties.

Tommy Reffell went over for the Welsh try and skipper Dan Bigger added three penalties for the tourists, who upset the hosts in last week’s second Test in Bloemfontein to set up a series decider.

Follow all the action from South Africa vs Wales below with our live blog:

South Africa vs Wales - deciding Test

• Springboks beat Wales in Cape Town to take the series victory 2-1
• FULL-TIME! South Africa 30-14 Wales
• 78’ - PENALTY! Pollard seals the victory ofr Springboks (SA 27-14)
• 53’ - TRY! Kolisi forces his way over(SA 24-14 Wal)
• 48’ - PENALTY! A third Biggar penalty of the day tightens the game further (SA 17-14 Wal)
• 38’ - TRY! Mbonambi scores a try on his 50th cap (SA 17-8 Wal)
• 19’ - TRY! Adams offloads to Reffell for the score (SA 10-5 Wal)
• 15’ - TRY! Pollard crash over after sustained Springbok pressure (SA 10-0 Wal)

[16 July 2022 17:08 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: South Africa 17-8 Wales

How that Bongi Mbonambi score will make South Africa feel better about a first half they have largely controlled. For the first time this series, the Springboks found their power game early, firing out of the blocks. Wales did well to re-establish some degree of parity, and Tommy Reffell’s well-taken score keeps them in it, but they have struggled for discipline and to win defensive collisions.

South Africa have reminded everyone of their DNA: strong set-piece and kick-chase, and then power runners around the corner. You can know what is coming and still find it mighty hard to stop.

[16 July 2022 17:01 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

HALF TIME! SOUTH AFRICA 17-8 WALES

(AFP via Getty Images)

[16 July 2022 17:00 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 17-8 Wales, 39 minutes

Nearly another for South Africa! Kwagga Smth, who is on as a replacement in the back row, rips the ball away from Welsh hands inside his own half, and Wales are under-resourced in behind as South Africa kick up the right.

Lukhanyo Am looks set to be first to it and fancies a fly-hack on and a pursuit into the in-goal, but two right-ward hops take it over the touchline before Am can extend his right boot to it. Wales survive, and an efficient lineout drill closes the half.

[16 July 2022 16:56 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 17-8 Wales (Bongi Mbonambi try, 38 minutes)

A try on his 50th cap for Bongi Mbonambi! It was telegraphed, a throw to the centre of the lineout and then a go at the maul, and though Wales initially stand strong, they can’t quell the developing might of the South African drive.

Mbonambi gets his eyes up, waiting for his moment to release from the back, waiting for the last of the Welsh big’uns to be tied in and then picking a half-hole beside Kieran Hardy. He powers over, and Handre Pollard adds the conversion.

[16 July 2022 16:56 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 10-8 Wales, 36 minutes

South Africa soon have ball back and the Cape Town Stadium crowd lifts the volume as their Springboks attack with intent and energy. Siya Kolisi charges up the right, eschewing any thought of a pass to Lukhanyo Am outside him to instead rumble on further.

Penalty advantage again to South Africa, for an offside Welshman. Matt Carley halts proceedings because Josh Adams and Damian de Allende are having a shoving match - a timely intervention from the referee before that escalated into something more disruptive. Both captains are reminded of the need for their sides to behave themselves.

Handre Pollard prods into the right corner.

[16 July 2022 16:53 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 10-8 Wales, 35 minutes

Penalty to Wales for a high tackle inside their own 22, and might this be more bother for Makazole Mapimpi? It’s a clash of heads with Nick Tompkins, who is already grasped at the ankles by a South African, and thus losing his balance.

Matthew Carley, in consultation with his TMO, decides that a falling Tompkins is mitigation enough to rule only a penalty.

[16 July 2022 16:51 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY! South Africa 10-8 WALES (Dan Biggar penalty, 33 minutes)

And Dan Biggar makes sure that Du Toit is punished with a clean strike between the posts.

[16 July 2022 16:50 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 10-5 Wales, 32 minutes

South Africa give away three! Jaden Hendrikse gets his box kick away in relative comfort, but Pieter-Steph du Toit extends his arms into a leaping Alun Wyn Jones, who is attempting to charge him down. Du Toit looks rather confused by the decision of Matthew Carley, who informs the flanker that he had earlier warned Jasper Wiese about a similarly needless impeding of a Welshman.

[16 July 2022 16:48 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 10-5 Wales, 32 minutes

Is that a 50:22? Not quite! Louis Rees-Zammit spreads his arms wide hopefully, imploring Matt Carley to reward a lovely little threaded number off his left peg, but the original lineout from which his kick eventually came was inside the South African half. Springboks’ lineout.

[16 July 2022 16:47 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

South Africa 10-5 Wales, 31 minutes

A smart kick from Dan Biggar, spotting the South African backfield spreading to the extremeties so targeting the centre channel of the pitch. The fly-half backs it up with a strong chase, putting enough pressure on Willie Le Roux to force a shallower clearance than the replacement full-back might have hoped for.