Previewing the arrival of the Wales rugby tourists of 1998 — those of the 96-13 Test collapse at Loftus Versfeld and that — a South African magazine informed its readers that the Welsh were no longer the force they used to be.
They referenced the 60-26 thrashing England had dished out to their neighbours in that year’s Five Nations Championship.
The glossy publication noted: “The annihilation of Wales was a tremendous spectacle, but only one thought lingered long after the predominantly happy crowd had gone home — it was, after all, only Wales.”
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Brutal, but Dennis John’s players couldn’t do anything to correct such a view as they were taken apart in the Test in Pretoria.
Fast-forward 24 years and there still appears a belief in the republic that Welsh rugby isn’t up too much. Maybe it’s the complete failure of the visiting regional teams to South Africa recently — eight matches played, eight games lost, some of them by horrendous margins — or perhaps memories are still fresh of the embarrassing Six Nations defeat to Italy in Cardiff.
But whatever it is, there is a feeling among some in the South African media that Wayne Pivac’s side are not going to pose any sort of threat to the Springboks this summer.
Arguing that there’s still plenty of time for South Africa’s coaches to blood new players before the next World Cup, journalist Mark Keohane didn’t exactly advise all concerned to steel themselves for the incoming challenge from Wales, saying: “The Boks, no matter who they pick for the three Tests against Wales, will win the home series 3-0. The Welsh are currently a mess.”
A column written by Devin Hermanus on the SA Rugby Mag website contended that South Africa’s selectors should assemble a squad of home-based players for the forthcoming series. There has been a suggestion that head coach Jacques Neinaber will exclude his overseas contingent for the end-of-year tour of Europe.
But, in a piece headlined ‘Pick URC stars to pummel limp Welsh’, Hermanus wrote: “Why wait when rewarding those players based in South Africa sooner would be to strike while they are red-hot from roughing up the Welsh sides in the United Rugby Championship?
“Across eight matches played against teams from Wales on home soil, South African sides claimed the maximum five URC points in all eight, while the visitors left without a single point between them. On average, SA sides scored 44 points a game, while Welsh sides scored 13, making the average margin of victory 31 points.
“South African sides managed an average of 552 metres a game, with Welsh teams achieving a meagre 280 metres.”
He argued that Nienaber should pick the Boks’ best line-up some time before the start of the Rugby Championship in August, especially in preparation for two Tests against New Zealand in South Africa. But, he added, “selecting young guys — and the odd hungry veteran — to soften up the Welsh Dragons will afford skipper Siya Kolisi and his troops a welcome break before the old enemy arrives”.
Being written off can be a wounding experience. No one can say Wales will lack an incentive to perform well this summer.
