They say that what you do when nobody is watching is what really separates the good from the great.
It was interesting, then, to see how a handful of Wales’ experienced campaigners behaved during a brutal few hours at the Cape Town Stadium.
Wales landed in the Mother City battered and bruised. Head coach Wayne Pivac had asked virtually the same 15 players to back up three weeks in a row against the most physical side in world rugby, with two of the games at altitude. You could argue that not even the World Cup or Six Nations is this physically demanding. Rarely are players asked to compete against such high quality opposition so many times in 14 days.
It took its toll with Gareth Anscombe the first to withdraw before the team even arrived at the stadium. He failed a fitness test late in the week after picking up a rib injury. Of course, he would have been well within his rights to arrive at the stadium and sit on the bench with all the other unused players.
Instead, the fly-half, who won the match for Wales last week, was out on the pitch during the warm-up, helping Dan Biggar and Rhys Patchell, who replaced him in the matchday 23, go through their kicking warm-up. There was no sulking here as he pitched in to do his bit for the team.
Then, as the teams left the field following the warm-up, Pivac threw his arm around Taulupe Faletau and gave a knowing look. One of his star players was about to pull out of the match with an injury to his side. The talismanic No.8 actually suffered the injury in the first Test two weeks ago but ‘gutsed it out’, to use Wayne Pivac’s words, in the second battle with the Boks.
He drew credit from the Wales boss for ‘doing the right thing’ and pulling himself out of the match in the warm-up. Again, he would have been within his rights to sit in the changing rooms gathering his thoughts when his team-mates trudged out to the middle of the field.
When the teams lined up for the anthems, and Wales’ pitchside staff linked arms on the touchline as they always do, there was a lone figure standing at the end of the row of black plastic chairs that made up the bench. It was the 91-cap, three-time British and Irish Lion stood facing his team-mates in a final show of support.
Fast-forward to the conclusion of the match. The men in the middle have applauded each other through a tunnel, back slaps of consolation have been dished out by Wales’ backroom staff to the players. Dan Biggar is being hauled over to the advertising backdrop to do his TV interviews and the Springboks have started doing a lap of honour.
To the left, former captain Alun Wyn Jones is dragging Wales’ fitness chief Paul Stridgeon to the try line. He begins running shuttles.
It is customary for replacements to do fitness work at full time in matches but, usually, players who have featured for more than a half – Jones played 65 minutes in the third Test – are given a pass on the post-match runs, especially after the final game of the season.
But the most-capped player in world rugby is built different. While this was going on, Biggar shouted to his team-mates to go over to the far side of the stadium and thank the pocket of Welsh fans that have made as much noise as they can all tour. Jones was convinced to end his shuttles and join them.
Before he conducted his media duties, Biggar sought out Cheslin Kolbe just behind the advertising hoardings. Word on the ground is that Kolbe suffered a suspected fractured jaw during the match, so was in his tracksuit by the time the Welshman found him.
The pair clashed in the first Test in Pretoria on more than one occasion. One instance stands out when they exchanged verbals for almost a minute, walking 20 metres to square up to each other and get nose to nose while the referee dithered over a decision on the far side.
But they appeared to bury the hatchet as they embraced each other after a combative fortnight. They shared a few words and you didn’t need to be a lip reader to decipher that there was a clear level of mutual respect.
The game itself went off largely without too much incident off the ball, which made a change. Taine Basham endured a rollercoaster afternoon. He was not expecting to take part but was then thrust onto the bench when Faletau withdrew at the eleventh hour.
Then, when Dan Lydiate was forced off after 15 minutes, he sprung out of his seat and was instructed by Stridgeon to get his jacket off and prepare to take the field. He started hitting the tackle shield.
While that happened, team manager Martyn Williams was speaking into his microphone, communicating with Pivac up in the coaches box while lock Jones stood alongside him. It transpired that the talismanic lock was going to be sent on. Basham put his jacket back on and retook his seat.
Then, after Siya Kolisi’s try, Basham again removed his bib and started getting pumped up and ready to go. Again, he was told to take his seat. Then, 30 seconds later, he was being shown in the direction of the pitch. He went on to produce an admirable performance after getting an unexpected chance.
The tour itself had clearly taken its toll. By half time, Louis Rees-Zammit looked in significant discomfort, limping and holding his back as players left the field for the break. Josh Adams, who hasn’t looked 100 percent all tour, required treatment on his knee after slipping on the dismal playing surface. Loose-head prop Gareth Thomas was out on his feet from the moment he retook the field in the second period.
It looked to be a game too far but it’s an interesting one to assess. Wales have come too far to be plucky losers these days but they will take a lot from this tour.
They were the laughing stock of Europe following a Six Nations defeat to Italy in Cardiff. But they’ve restored a significant amount of pride in the jersey over the last few weeks in the backyard of the world champions.
It’s laid a solid foundation for next season, which will culminate at the Rugby World Cup in France. There is plenty to build on.
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