Summary

  • Wales now on record 12-match losing run

  • Franco Mostert and Eben Etzebeth tries give Springboks early lead

  • Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw add further South Africa tries before half-time

  • Rio Dyer gets Wales' first try moments before the break

  • Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenekamp and Jordan Hendrikse tries in second half underline Springbok superiority

  • James Botham scores late consolation Wales try

  1. Postpublished at 19:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2024

    FT: Wales 12-45 South Africa

    Siwan Lillicrap
    Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

    It could have been far worse and I was super impressed with the Springboks in that first half. They are clinical and the set-piece, pass accuracy and offloading game is accurate for them and they do it with such high tempo and physicality to get over the gain line that they were unstoppable.

  2. Man of the Matchpublished at 19:35 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2024

    FT: Wales 12-45 South Africa

    Franco MostertImage source, Getty Images

    The honour goes to South Africa lock Franco Mostert.

  3. Postpublished at 19:33 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2024

    FT: Wales 12-45 South Africa

    Gareth Griffiths
    BBC Sport Wales at Principality Stadium

    Wales showed a lot of character with flankers Jac Morgan (28) and James Botham (22) making 50 tackles between them.

    But the gulf in class was there for all to see as world champions South Africa scored seven tries.

    It could have been more.

    A 12th successive defeat for Wales with an 11th loss in the 2024 calendar year. It is pretty bleak for Wales and Warren Gatland right now.

  4. Postpublished at 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2024

    FT: Wales 12-45 South Africa

    James Hook
    Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

    It's a well-taken try by James Botham, he's worked hard along with Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake.

    South Africa were just too big, too strong, too powerful for Wales this evening, as we thought they'd be.

  5. Full-timepublished at 80 mins

    FT: 12-45 South Africa

    Ben Thomas' conversion is the final kick of the match and it's all over here in Cardiff.

  6. try

    Converted try - Wales 12-45 South Africapublished at 79 mins

    Botham, con Thomas

    James BothamImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

    Yes they can!

    James Botham finds a way through the defence and Wales have the final say in this one-sided Test match.

  7. Postpublished at 79 mins

    Wales 5-45 South Africa

    It's one last throw of the dice for Wales.

    Can they give these die-hard rugby fans something to cheer about?

  8. Postpublished at 78 mins

    Wales 5-45 South Africa

    Gareth Rhys Owen
    BBC Radio Wales commentator

    Wales' wretched year ends with another miserable, harrowing defeat.

    2024 the year to forget for Welsh rugby.

    South Africa are up to 45 points, 40 more than Wales.

    This will be the biggest losing margin at home in Cardiff in the history of Welsh rugby.

    Wales rugbyImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  9. try

    Converted try - Wales 5-45 South Africapublished at 76 mins

    Hendrikse, con Hendrikse

    Jordan HendrikseImage source, PA Media

    South Africa aren't done yet.

    Jordan Hendrikse takes them past the 40 mark.

    It's Handre Pollard with the initial break and it's the fly-half who goes over.

  10. Postpublished at 75 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Siwan Lillicrap
    Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

    If South Africa continued playing like they did in the first half, we would be way over 50 points behind them by now.

    Rassie Erasmus is probably not happy with the South African second-half performance.

  11. Postpublished at 19:21 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2024

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Ken Owens
    Former Wales hooker on BBC Radio Cymru

    Wales have battled today, they've showed their heart, the passion has been there.

    South Africa have been the better side but you can't fault the effort of these young players, who need time to develop.

  12. Postpublished at 74 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Gareth Rhys Owen
    BBC Radio Wales commentator

    Warren Gatland did urge caution at the beginning of this year. He did select squads that were young and inexperienced with the likes of Mackenzie Martin, Ioan Lloyd and Cameron Winnett who have come and gone.

    But one statistic remains the same. Wales will lose every single game in 2024. Eleven in the calendar year and 12 successive games in total.

    All under the leadership of Warren Gatland.

    Warren GatlandImage source, Getty Images
  13. Replacementpublished at 73 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Kemsley Mathias is going to get a taste of the South Africa scrum.

    He's on for Nicky Smith in the dying minutes.

  14. Postpublished at 72 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    James Hook
    Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

    The height that Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe get in their aerial work, for such small blokes, it's ridiculous.

  15. Postpublished at 70 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    While some of the crowd are doing their best to get a Mexican wave going, others are heading to catch the early train.

  16. Postpublished at 69 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Ken Owens
    Former Wales hooker on BBC Radio Cymru

    The power game South Africa bring is unbelievable. They bring their replacements on and go up another level.

    To be fair to Wales they're battling, but the amount they've defended in this game already, tiredness is always going to become an issue.

  17. Postpublished at 68 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Siwan Lillicrap
    Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

    It's just relentless.

    South Africa haven't been the clinical South Africa we've seen in the first 40 and they have had some errors but Wales haven't been able to capitalise on it mainly due to set-piece.

    What's been impressive is that South Africa haven't been the same South Africa as the first half and yet they've still scored two tries.

    Wales v South Africa ScrumImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  18. Postpublished at 67 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Sadly not to the try line.

    They cough up possession and it's a South Africa scrum.

  19. Postpublished at 66 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    Afraid so Hooky.

    But Wales are enjoying a rare spell of possession, they have got the driving maul rolling.

    How far can they go?

  20. Postpublished at 66 mins

    Wales 5-38 South Africa

    James Hook
    Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

    It's just like clockwork from South Africa, how many times have we seen this?

    The free-kick from the scrum, quick tap into their structure, their pick-and-go game, their power game.

    It just looks inevitable every time, doesn't it?