South Africa 32-29 Wales: Springboks snatch win with final kick of the game in cruel result for Welsh visitors

Wales went down to a heartbreaking 32-29 defeat in Pretoria as the Springboks snatched the spoils with the last kick of the game from Damian Willemse two minutes into stoppage time.

Wayne Pivac’s team had led 18-3 at the interval thanks to two tries from wing Louis Rees-Zammit and then 24-15 going into the final quarter before South Africa went ahead.

Despite being down to 13 men following a flurry of yellow cards, the visitors managed to draw level with a touchdown from Dewi Lake four minutes from time. But Dan Biggar was just wide with his conversion attempt as he looked to put his team in front and he was then penalised for a deliberate knock-on in the final play, enabling Willemse to slot his decisive 82nd-minute kick.

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Wales had made a dream start, opening the scoring after just two minutes. They spoiled a South African lineout and second-row Will Rowlands charged up the left. Then, when the ball was moved right, slick handling from the backs released Rees-Zammit. There was no stopping the Gloucester speedster as he zoomed in at the corner.

The visitors stretched their lead through a drop goal and penalty from fly-half Biggar, as they fronted up to the big ‘Boks with some hugely resolute defence and ferocious competing at the breakdown.

Then on 33 minutes, Rees-Zammit claimed his second try. An attacking lineout had been created by debutant Tommy Reffell winning a fine jackal penalty and Ryan Elias threw long to Nick Tompkins in midfield. The centre collided with Elton Jantjies as they both went for the ball and it spilled loose. The predatory Rees-Zammit was the first to react, hacking on and again showing his gas as he won the race to collect the ball on the bounce and cross the whitewash.

Biggar added the conversion but was then yellow carded for slowing the ball down as he fell on the wrong side after pulling off a try-saving tackle on Faf de Klerk.

Fourteen-man Wales held on to turn around with a 15-point interval lead, but after the break the 'Boks struck just before Biggar’s return when hooker Bongi Mbonambi rounded off a powerful driving maul from a close range lineout, with his replacement Malcolm Mark soon repeating the dose.

A couple of Biggar penalties were followed by a Cheslin Kolbe touchdown for the hosts and a penalty try from another lineout maul, amid yellow cards for Rees-Zammit, Alun Wyn Jones and Rhys Carre, ahead of the dramatic and desperately cruel finish.

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South Africa: 15. Damian Willemse, 14. Cheslin Kolbe, 13. Lukhanyo Am, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Faf de Klerk, 1. Ox Nché, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 3. Frans Malherbe, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Siya Kolisi (capt), 7. Franco Mostert, 8. Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Salmaan Moerat, 20. Elrigh Louw, 21. Kwagga Smith, 22. Herschel Jantjies, 23. Willie le Roux.

Wales: 15. Liam Williams, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 13. George North, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Josh Adams, 10. Dan Biggar (capt), 9. Kieran Hardy, 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Dillon Lewis, 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Dan Lydiate, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16. Dewi Lake, 17. Rhys Carre, 18. Tomas Francis, 19. Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Gareth Anscombe, 23. Owen Watkin.

How the action unfolded: