2014 Wales rugby union tour of South Africa

In June 2014, Wales toured South Africa, playing a 2-test series against the Springboks. In addition to the two Test matches, Wales also played a warm-up uncapped match against domestic club side . The three matches coincided with the June International Window, playing in the second and third week of the window.

Wales entered the test series on the back of 14 consecutive losses to South Africa; the last time Wales won against South Africa was in June 1999, the only time Wales have beaten South Africa. Wales were on 16 consecutive losses to the Southern Hemisphere greats, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with the last time they beat a Southern Hemisphere great was in November 2008, and have not won an away match to the Southern Hemisphere greats since 1969.

The 14 consecutive losses to South Africa were extended to 16, while the 16 consecutive losses to the Southern Hemisphere greats were extended to 18 following a 2–0 series defeat. The only win of the tour came in the un-capped match against the , 34–12. During the test series, Wales and South Africa contested the Prince William Cup, which South Africa retained with the series victory. It was the seventh time South Africa won the trophy to Wales' zero.

Fixtures Date Venue Home Score Away 10 June 2014 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth 12–34 14 June 2014 Kings Park Stadium, Durban 38–16 21 June 2014 Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit 31–30

Matches

Eastern Province Kings

FB 15Hansie Graaff RW 14Siviwe SoyizwapiOC 13Ronnie CookeIC 12Shane Gates LW 11Scott van BredaFH 10George WhiteheadSH 9 Kevin Luiters N8 8 Paul SchoemanOF 7 Devin Oosthuizen BF 6 Thembelani BholiRL 5 Cameron LindsayLL 4 Darron Nell (c) TP 3 Charl du Plessis HK 2 Edgar Marutlulle LP 1 Lizo Gqoboka Replacements:HK 16Albé de Swardt PR 17BG Uys PR 18Simon Kerrod LK 19Steve Cummins FL 20Stefan Willemse SH 21Jaco Grobler CE 22Dwayne Jenner FH 23Ntabeni Dukisa Coach: Carlos Spencer FB 15Matthew MorganRW 14Alex Cuthbert OC 13Cory AllenIC 12Steven ShinglerLW 11Jordan WilliamsFH 10James HookSH 9 Rhodri WilliamsN8 8 Dan Baker OF 7 Josh TurnbullBF 6 Dan Lydiate (c) RL 5 Ian EvansLL 4 Jake Ball TP 3 Rhodri Jones HK 2 Scott Baldwin LP 1 Paul James Replacements:HK 16Matthew Rees PR 17Aaron Jarvis PR 18Samson Lee LK 19Luke Charteris FL 20Aaron Shingler SH 21Gareth Davies WG 22George NorthFB 23Liam WilliamsCoach: Warren Gatland Touch judges: Christie du Preez (South Africa) Rodney Boneparte (South Africa) Television match official: Jason Jaftha (South Africa) Notes: George North was ruled out of the match, as he was still suffering from a virus hours before kick-off. No other player replaced him in the match-day 23.

First test

FB 15Willie le Roux RW 14Cornal HendricksOC 13JP PietersenIC 12Jan SerfonteinLW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Morné Steyn SH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Duane VermeulenOF 7 Willem Alberts BF 6 Francois LouwRL 5 Victor Matfield (c)LL 4 Bakkies Botha TP 3 Jannie du Plessis HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis LP 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp Replacements:HK 16Schalk Brits PR 17Tendai Mtawarira PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Lood de Jager FL 20Schalk Burger SH 21Ruan Pienaar FH 22Johan Goosen WG 23Lwazi Mvovo Coach: Heyneke Meyer FB 15Liam Williams RW 14Alex CuthbertOC 13Jonathan DaviesIC 12Jamie Roberts LW 11George NorthFH 10Dan Biggar SH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Aaron Shingler BF 6 Dan LydiateRL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c)LL 4 Luke Charteris TP 3 Adam Jones HK 2 Ken Owens LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements:HK 16Matthew Rees PR 17Paul James PR 18Samson Lee LK 19Ian Evans FL 20Josh Turnbull SH 21Gareth Davies FH 22James Hook FB 23Matthew Morgan Coach: Warren Gatland Man of the Match: Willie le Roux (South Africa)

Touch judges: Steve Walsh (Australia) Marius Mitrea (Italy) Television match official: Vinny Munro (New Zealand) Notes: Cornal Hendricks, Lood de Jager (both South Africa), Gareth Davies and Matthew Morgan (both Wales) made their international debuts. Victor Matfield joined John Smit as the most capped South African player with 111 caps. Adam Jones played his 100th test match; 95 for Wales and 5 for the British and Irish Lions.

Second test

FB 15Willie le RouxRW 14Cornal HendricksOC 13JP PietersenIC 12Jan Serfontein LW 11Bryan HabanaFH 10Morné Steyn SH 9 Fourie du PreezN8 8 Duane VermeulenOF 7 Willem Alberts BF 6 Francois LouwRL 5 Victor Matfield (c)LL 4 Flip van der Merwe TP 3 Jannie du Plessis HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Schalk Brits PR 17Gurthrö Steenkamp PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Lood de Jager FL 20Schalk Burger SH 21Ruan Pienaar CE 22Wynand Olivier WG 23Lwazi MvovoCoach: Heyneke Meyer FB 15Liam WilliamsRW 14Alex CuthbertOC 13Jonathan DaviesIC 12Jamie RobertsLW 11George NorthFH 10Dan Biggar SH 9 Mike PhillipsN8 8 Taulupe FaletauOF 7 Josh TurnbullBF 6 Dan LydiateRL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c)LL 4 Luke Charteris TP 3 Samson Lee HK 2 Ken Owens LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements:HK 16Matthew Rees PR 17Paul James PR 18Aaron Jarvis LK 19Jake Ball N8 20Dan BakerSH 21Gareth DaviesFH 22James HookFB 23Matthew MorganCoach: Warren Gatland Man of the Match: Duane Vermeulen (South Africa)

Touch judges: Romain Poite (France) Francisco Pastrana (Argentina) Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) Notes: Victor Matfield surpassed John Smit, to become South Arica's most capped player with 112 caps. South Africa retain the Prince William Cup for the seventh time.

Squads

Wales Before the tour, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that on 30 May, a Wales senior trial match would take place at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, the first of its kind in 14 years. The failure of the Welsh regions to qualify for the 2013–14 Pro12 play-offs meant that, for many of the players, there would be a five-week gap between the end of the season and the first Test. The teams were announced on 13 May, with the Probables squad to be coached by Rob Howley, and the Possibles squad by Robin McBryde. The match fell outside the international window, so players based outside Wales were not required to be released to play, in accordance with IRB regulations. No players based in England were released for the match, while all the France-based players selected for the match except Dan Lydiate ended up participating.

Trial match

Team details FB 15Liam Williams RW 14Alex CuthbertOC 13Jonathan Davies IC 12Jamie Roberts LW 11Jordan WilliamsFH 10Dan BiggarSH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Taulupe Faletau OF 7 Aaron ShinglerBF 6 Josh TurnbullRL 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c) LL 4 Luke CharterisTP 3 Adam Jones HK 2 Ken Owens LP 1 Gethin Jenkins Replacements:PR 16Scott Baldwin HK 17Aaron Jarvis PR 18Samson Lee LK 19Lewis Evans FL 20Josh Navidi SH 21Rhodri Williams FH 22Sam Davies CE 23Dafydd Hewitt Coach: Rob Howley FB 15Dan Fish RW 14Harry RobinsonOC 13Cory AllenIC 12Steven Shingler LW 11Kristian PhillipsFH 10James HookSH 9 Gareth Davies N8 8 Dan Baker OF 7 Ellis JenkinsBF 6 Andrew CoombsRL 5 Ian Evans LL 4 Jake BallTP 3 Rhodri Jones HK 2 Matthew Rees (c) LP 1 Rob Evans Replacements:HK 16Kristian Dacey PR 17Owen Evans PR 18Scott Andrews LK 19Macauley Cook FL 20James Davies SH 21Lloyd Williams CE 22Matthew Morgan CE 23Jonathan Spratt Coach: Robin McBryde Man of the Match: Jonathan Davies (Probables)

Touch judges: Sean Brickell (Wales) Greg Morgan (Wales) Television match official: Tim Hayes (Wales) Note: Bold text denotes players who are internationally capped.

Touring squad Head coach Warren Gatland named a 32-man squad following the trial match, for the two-test series against South Africa. It included 19 players from the Probables squad, 10 from the Possibles squad and three who did not feature in the trial match.

Head coach: Warren Gatland

Note: Caps and ages are as of the date of the first test match, 14 June 2014.

South Africa On 31 May, head coach Heyneke Meyer named a 36-man squad for the 2-test series against Wales, and the single test match against Scotland, plus the uncapped match against a World XV side.

On 2 June, Damian de Allende was withdrawn from the squad due to injury. He was replaced by Marnitz Boshoff.

On 8 June, Trevor Nyakane was added to the squad to provide further cover at prop.http://www.sarugby.net/component/supersportcontent/20681?view=news&leagueId=1674

Note: Caps and ages are as of the date of the first test match, 14 June 2014.

The following players were considered for selection, but not chosen due to injury or suspension.

Note: ‡ denotes players who are centrally contracted to the South African Rugby Union.

South African warm-up match On 7 June, South Africa played an uncapped warm-up match against a World XV in Cape Town, in the lead up to the Welsh series.

Team details FB 15Willie le RouxRW 14Cornal HendricksOC 13JP PietersenIC 12François SteynLW 11Bryan Habana FH 10Morné Steyn SH 9 Ruan Pienaar N8 8 Duane VermeulenOF 7 Willem Alberts BF 6 Francois LouwRL 5 Victor Matfield (c)LL 4 Bakkies Botha TP 3 Jannie du Plessis HK 2 Bismarck du Plessis LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Schalk Brits PR 17Gurthrö Steenkamp PR 18Coenie Oosthuizen LK 19Flip van der Merwe FL 20Schalk Burger SH 21Fourie du Preez FH 22Johan Goosen WG 23Lwazi Mvovo Coach: Heyneke Meyer FB 15 James O'ConnorRW 14 Drew Mitchell OC 13 Rene RangerIC 12 Wynand OlivierLW 11 Hosea GearFH 10 Matt Giteau (c) SH 9 Rory Kockott N8 8 Roger WilsonOF 7 Steffon Armitage BF 6 Mamuka Gorgodze RL 5 Alistair HargreavesLL 4 Juandré Kruger TP 3 Carl Hayman HK 2 Craig Burden LP 1 Sona Taumalolo Replacements:HK 16 Andrew Hore PR 17 Schalk Ferreira PR 18 Pat Cilliers LK 19 Joe Tekori FL 20 Alexandre Lapandry SH 21 Jimmy Cowan FH 22 François Trinh-Duc CE 23 Benson Stanley Coach: Nick Mallett Man of the Match: Bakkies Botha (South Africa)

Touch judges: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa) Quinton Immelman (South Africa) Television match official: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)

References