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
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 10-5 Wales, 29 minutes
Both sides really are fighting to stay on their feet on this Cape Town Stadium surface, which appears ill-equipped to handle 30 quite large blokes charging around it. It’s creating problems for sides in all facets.
Wales again use their hands well in attack, creating another overlap to the right, but Louis Rees-Zammit overruns Liam Williams’ speedy transfer on as the full-back takes a thump from Damian Willemse. Williams slaps his hands in frustration.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 28 minutes
Willie Le Roux is caught going nowhere in particular on kick return, and a scrambling South Africa dive on a loose ball beside the ruck. Penalty to Wales, who are beginning to establish a foothold, just inside their own half.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 27 minutes
Better defence from Wales! They cede a fair bit of ground to the South African maul but don’t enter illegally, eventually letting it collapse under its own steam and a couple of fallen Springboks. And a turnover! South Africa again explore the fringes but a messy ruck ends with the ball in Welsh hands, allowing the visitors to boot up field.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 26 minutes
More Welsh infringements, two side entries at the maul each drawing an extended arm of advantage from Carley. Biggar is warned again, this time related to the general discipline of his side.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 24 minutes
Wales knock on early in their movement on the edge of South Africa’s 22.
And this time Trevor Nyakane is rewarded as Dillon Lewis hits the deck. Matthew Carley warns Dan Biggar that his front-rowers need to improve at the set piece, understanding though he is of a troublesome surface that the players are finding difficult.
With Dan Lydiate still off, Will Rowlands is at six for Wales, by the way.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 22 minutes
There had been a knock forward from South African hands before that of Hardy, so the Wales scrum-half will feed the scrum. South Africa again get a nudge on, but Trevor Nyakane is deemed to have stepped out twice to create an angle, and is penalised.
South Africa have remodelled their backline with Le Roux on at full-back - Lukhanyo Am has gone on to the right wing, Damian Willemse into 12 and Damian De Allende has stepped out to 13.
South Africa 10-5 Wales, 20 minutes
Bish, bash, bosh! A sore seven seconds for Wales as both Jasper Wiese and Eben Etzebeth deliver entirely legal blows to exposed ribs, Etzebeth bringing Kieran Hardy (who had just knocked on) down to earth with a particularly brutal bump.
It is a South African receiving treatment, though: Cheslin Kolbe has taken a bang to the jaw and will go off. That doesn’t look particularly pleasant. Willie Le Roux is introduced - remember that the Springboks have only two backs on the bench.
TRY! South Africa 10-5 WALES (Tommy Reffell try, 19 minutes)
Outstanding attack from Wales to keep the ball alive and Tommy Reffell has his first try in international rugby!
It’s superb handling from the visitors, working ball left and right with plenty of pull-back passes to stretch the South African defence out of shape. One backdoor offload is somehow grasped by Liam Williams to ensure the chance is not lost.
They sweep the ball away to the left and Nick Tompkins turns a soft corner, fizzing a wide ball to Josh Adams. Damian Willemse somehow chops down the Wales wing, but Reffell arrives in good support on the inside to dive over.
The conversion is missed.
South Africa 10-0 Wales, 17 minutes
Better from Liam Williams in the air, getting his leap right to beat two South Africans to the latest high hoist.
Vintage George North! He may not be quite the athlete he was in his youth but he’s still got a real turn of speed, accelerating up the left and fending away Cheslin Kolbe. Damian Willemse brings him down but Wales are beginning to threaten.
South Africa 10-0 Wales, 16 minutes
In attempting to stop Pollard, Dan Lydiate and Ryan Elias appeared to clash heads nastily, and there’s a bit of claret coming down the face of the back-rower, who will have to depart to have it attended to.
On comes Alun Wyn Jones in the back five of the pack.
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