The story was written on the faces of the Wales players on the final whistle — a win at last over the Springboks on South African soil.
Welsh teams had lost all 11 previous Tests against the men in myrtle green since first playing them in the republic in 1964.
But on Saturday the class of 2022 made the reigning world champions pay for a selection policy that had seen coach Jacques Nienaber make 14 changes to the starting line-up from the week before in Pretoria.
Read next: Adam Jones, Dan Biggar and Sam Warburton rave about new Wales international
The match was not a thing of beauty — it was scruffy and littered with mistakes.
But Wales stayed in it before landing the decisive blows with a Josh Adams try and a nerveless Gareth Anscombe conversion to secure a 13-12 success.
What’s been the media reaction to the events in Bloemfontein?
We’ve been taking a look.
Craig Lewis, The South African
In fairness, the national coaches will surely, in hindsight, realise that they made an error by completely overhauling the matchday squad, rather than mixing some first-choice regulars with some back-up players who deserved an opportunity.
For next Saturday’s third and decisive Test, there is every reason to believe a full-strength Bok side will achieve a comfortable victory, and ultimately this would enable them to reflect on the Bloemfontein clash as a worthwhile ‘experiment’.
It’s clear that the Boks didn’t get their selections for this Test correct in every aspect, but there really was very little to lose in the grand scheme of things.
Mike Gree naway, IOL
Wales won their first ever match on South African soil when they did to the Springboks what had been done to them a week before in Pretoria when a last minute penalty secured the spoils, this time 13-12 to the visitors.
It will be debated whether it was Pyrrhic victory given that the Boks had controversially overhauled their team from the first Test but the history books do not care for detail, and there will be many South Africans who will curse the Boks’ coaching staff for gambling on a Test match.
The counter-argument is that if the Boks defend their World Cup title next year after having grown their depth via matches such as this, then nobody will care what happened on this evening when a number of Young Turks were blended into the mix.
This was a day when the northern hemisphere struck back after a whitewash last week, with wins by Ireland and England over New Zealand and Australia respectively, preceding kick-off in South Africa.
To be fair, in the build up to this game the word disrespect had been bandied about in both camps regarding the 14 changes to the Springboks’ team, but it did not take long after kick-off for that nonsense to evaporate into the Free State night as an absorbing arm wrestle became evident.
Heinz Schenk, Sport 24
An imperfect but composed Wales made history on Saturday evening by valiantly securing a dramatic 13-12 victory over the Springboks — their first ever on African soil — to set up the perfect finale in the three-match series in Cape Town next week.
When veteran lock Alun Wyn Jones was yellow carded by referee Angus Gardner for a patently ridiculous hands-in call — he never touched the ball — circumstance was seemingly conspiring against the Welsh, who also saw inspirational pivot and skipper Dan Biggar leave the field. You can read more about the Alun Wyn Jones incident here.
However, that adversity actually proved a catalyst as they clawed their way back, primarily because the Springbok combination, now featuring a raft of replacements, lost their composure.
Mark Keohane, KEO.co.za
The experience of Wales, coupled with the inexperience of the Boks and very poor game management in the final 15 from the South Africans, combined for the wrong kind of history when Josh Adams scored in the 78th minute and Gareth Anscombe converted from the touchline.
Anscombe is Kiwi-born and played for the New Zealand under 20s coached by his dad.
But in Welsh folklore he will only ever be thought of as pure-bred Welsh, and rightly so. [Anscombe's mother Tracy was born in Cardiff, her father was from Neath and Gareth himself has lived here for eight years].
If any team deserved something on a trip it was this Welsh team in South Africa.
Bring on the finale in Cape Town.
Warren Fortune, Rugby 365
The Springboks’ inability to convert good possession and territorial dominance into points proved costly in their second Test against Wales in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Although it was an experimental matchday squad, the Boks had several talented and experienced campaigners on the field, but they couldn’t breach Wales’s defence in a 12-13 defeat.
A couple of the debutants can hold their heads up high, but it’s still a defeat at home for the world champions and it’s not going to go down well with the supporters.
Harry Latham-Coyle, Independent
Blimey. Wales beat the Springboks in South Africa for the first time! Ireland in New Zealand earlier, and now Wayne Pivac’s side have made history.
They really had no right to do so.
It was a wretched game, all told, but Wales somehow stuck in there, allowing Josh Adams’ score in the corner and Gareth Anscombe’s nerveless touchline conversion to seal a famous victory.
Matt Lloyd, MailOnline
It [Wales’ win] completed a staggering turnaround from the Six Nations misery and will have secured head coach Wayne Pivac's future through to the World Cup.
PA Media
Just over three months after losing at home to Italy, Wales stunned the world champions, with Pivac masterminding a landmark triumph. The head coach, though, deflected praise despite one of the great Wales coaching feats in any sport.
Steffan Thomas, The Times
What was supposed to be the tour from hell for Wales at the end of Wayne Pivac’s tenure as head coach has been anything but. Instead Wales have put down a marker just over a year out from the Rugby World Cup.
Wales still have issues with an attacking game that is not firing on all cylinders, but this was a big step in the right direction. For all the criticism of Pivac, not even Warren Gatland could lead Wales to a Test victory in South Africa. They will face the world champions again in Cape Town on Saturday with a chance to win the series.
Delme Parfitt, WalesOnline
There was a fear that pundit talk about South Africa picking a B team may return to haunt Wales.
It looked for a long time like it might, but the tourists came through.
Suggestions there would be a hollow feel didn’t ring true – there were quite rightly some passionate punches of the air when the job was done. It felt like a memorable day – and of course it was.
Wales now go into the third Test with a chance of an improbable series victory.
Who would have thought it?
READ NEXT:
Wales player ratings v South Africa as Dan Lydiate blows everyone away and Anscombe holds nerve
New young Wales giants reveals future plans and targets World Cup and Lions honours
