Mallet: It will be a massive disappointment if South Africa don’t win by 15

July 01, 2022
1494
Ultimate Rugby

Former Springboks head coach Nick Mallett says that anything less than a 15 point victory over Wales will be a 'massive disappointment for South Africa.

South Africa host Wales at Loftus Versveld on Saturday (kick-off 4.05pm UK) looking to defend their unbeaten record at home against Wales in front of a sold-out stadium.

The match doubles up the Springboks' first home game in front of fans since as Rugby World Cup Champions and Mallet sees the series opener as an opportunity for the Boks to stamp their authority on this series

'In front of a packed house at Loftus, having played in front of no fans in the British & Irish Lions series, this is a massive game for South Africa to stamp their authority on this series.' he wrote in his column for Sport 24.

'I can see them starting the game in their traditional way by looking for penalties from set-pieces and turning the Welsh with their kicking.

'Damian Willemse at fullback will be solid under the high ball, and they have a lot of leadership in the other kicking positions where Elton Jantjies has played a lot of Test match rugby, as has Faf de Klerk.

'In the forwards, the Boks are stacked with World Cup and Lions series winners, and they will boast all the firepower that has made them the number one side in the world.

'It will be a massive disappointment if South Africa don’t win this by 15 points. I think they should set out to dominate, and then, hopefully, they can get two scores away and start unleashing a bit of the attacking potential we have seen from our sides in the URC, because I think we’ll need that going forward against better teams.'

Turning his attention to the Springboks' style of play, Mallet pondered whether if Jacques Nienaber would employ an enterprising attacking plan this year.

'It will be interesting to see if the Boks will be prepared to play that more enterprising rugby – counter-attacking, playing it quickly off lineouts, giving opportunities to the outside backs, etc – but I think that will only happen after their traditional strengths manufacture a comfortable lead.

'South Africa has never lost to Wales at home, and even though they have beaten us outside of this country reasonably regularly recently, I don’t think that entirely reflects where we are with our rugby presently and where they are with theirs.'

Head-to-head

Played: 37 – South Africa leads 30-6 with one draw

Points for: South Africa 945 / Wales 586 (avg. score 26-16)

Highest score: South Africa 96 (96-13 on 27 June, 1998) / Wales 36 (36-38 on 6 November, 2004)

Biggest winning margin: South Africa 83 (96-13 on 27 June, 1998) / Wales 14 (27-13 on 26 November,
2016)

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

Test debut: 11 April, 2015 - Montenegro 29-27 Estonia
Tests as referee: 8

MATCH FACTS

Wales have never beaten the Springboks on South African soil; the closest they have come is a 31-30 defeat in Nelspruit in 2014
This will be the fourth time they meet at Loftus Versfeld and the first since South Africa won 37-21 in 2008. The Springboks also triumphed in 1998 (96-13) and 2004 (53-18)
South Africa won 11 and drew one of the first 12 matches between the teams
Wales had a 93-year wait before they first tasted success in the fixture in June 1999
Wales have won five of the last eight meetings (2014-21)
South Africa ended a run of four straight defeats in Cardiff when they won 23-18 last November
The average winning margin in the last five tests is 4.25 points
The average number of points scored per match in that time is just 39
Neither side has scored 30 points or more in the last seven meetings
Wales have never scored more than three tries in a game against South Africa
This is Jacques Nienaber’s 13 matches in charge, South Africa’s record is W8 L5
This will be Wayne Pivac’s 28th match in charge of Wales. His record is W11 L16