RWC2011 Pool Match Report: South Africa -v- Wales
WELLINGTON, 11 Sept. - Replacement Francois Hougaard was the South African hero with a try in the 65th minute which was enough to beat Wales 17-16 in a Pool D match at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Sunday.
He capped a sustained South African period of pressure to score under the posts and wrest the lead from the heroic Welsh.
South Africa had taken a 10-6 lead into the break after an action-packed first spell.
Wales, playing at breakneck speed which harried the Springboks, reduced the lead to a single point when James Hook kicked a penalty goal from in front just after the break.
And Wales took a 16-10 lead after more sustained pressure when number 8 Toby Faletau dived over for a try in the 54th minute, which was converted by Hook.
Minutes later Faletau made a storming burst down the middle and passed to Jonathan Davies, only for the outside centre to knock on going for the line.
Then came Hougaard's timely intervention for the winning try.
Minutes later Rhys Priestland failed with a close drop goal attempt which would have turned the score Wales' way.
In the 72nd minute Hook missed a difficult penalty attempt, although he could be unhappy with a first half penalty which was waved away, but looked to have dipped inside the post.
The South Africans got off to a great start when full back Frans Steyn scored in the right corner in the fourth minute after sustained Springbok pressure. Morné Steyn converted for 7-0.
Wales hit back in the 10th minute when James Hook converted a penalty after Wales had enjoyed their first period of pressure on the South Africa defence, who began to make mistakes.
Morné Steyn converted a penalty in the 18th minute and midway through an even half, South Africa were up 10-3.
Wales and Hook deserved to cut the gap to 10-6 after Schalk Burger failed to roll away from a tackle ball in the 31st minute.
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