Biggar addresses giving away match deciding penalty
Wales captain Dan Biggar reflected on a “missed opportunity” after his team suffered an agonising 32-29 first-Test defeat against world champions South Africa in Pretoria.
Damian Willemse broke Welsh hearts with the final kick of a pulsating game at Loftus Versfeld after Biggar infringed through a deliberate knock-on.
For large parts of an epic contest, Wales looked destined to end 58 years of hurt by claiming a first victory over the Springboks in South Africa at the 11th attempt.
But despite wing Louis Rees-Zammit’s try double and a Dewi Lake touchdown – plus 14 points from Biggar – Wales were edged out.
They also had four players sin-binned, Biggar included, and were briefly down to 12 men during a frenzied finale after Alun Wyn Jones, Rees-Zammit and Rhys Carre received yellow cards from Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli.
Biggar, who missed the conversion of Lake’s try that hauled Wales back to 29-29, said: “I have been around the game long enough to have had some good moments, and that was a bit of a disappointing moment not to nail off.
“I thought the penalty at the end was a little bit harsh. The ball has just hit my hand, as opposed to me slapping it down. It’s the way it is.
“I don’t think anybody would have predicted the game would have worked out like that at midday today.
“The last thing I want to do is to come into a press conference and be brave losers. It was a definite missed opportunity.
“For us to put up a show in the first Test at altitude and against the world champions, there is no reason why we can’t get better next week.
“It is a Test match. We wanted to get in amongst it and not take a backward step. That is part of the game at the minute.
“If you stand off South Africa out here, you are going to get steam-rolled pretty quickly.
“I didn’t see any issue. They were as niggly and competitive as we were, but that was perfect for us – exactly what we wanted.
“That is exactly what you want from a Test match – you want it aggressive and abrasive. There was no dirty play. You shake hands afterwards and there is no issue.”
Beaten at home by Italy just three months ago, Wales were written off before they arrived in Pretoria, yet they went toe to toe with South Africa in front of a 50,000 capacity crowd.
Wales were humiliated 96-13 by South Africa on the same ground in 1998, but they head to Bloemfontein for next Saturday’s second Test after one of their finest performances in recent seasons.
Dan enjoyed this one?#RSAvWALpic.twitter.com/Y1rekEWP6p
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 2, 2022
South Africa scored tries through Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx and Cheslin Kolbe, in addition to a late penalty try, while Willemse kicked two conversions and a penalty and Elton Jantjies landed a penalty.
On the yellow cards, Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said: “It’s hard playing the world champions in their backyard 15 on 15, isn’t it? I thought we made a pretty good fist of that.
“We will have to go away and look at that, as we will always do. Four yellow cards is a pretty tough one to take, but that is how it panned out and unfortunately we didn’t quite get across the line.
“We set ourselves up to win the game, so we did a lot of very good things.
“South Africa will no doubt improve (in Bloemfontein), and hopefully we will improve. It sets itself up for a good second Test. You have got two teams that are highly-motivated.”
Wales prop Tomas Francis, meanwhile, looks set to miss the second encounter after leaving the field on a stretcher cart following a blow to his head in a tackle.
Pivac added: “He is OK in the changing room. He will go through the normal protocols.
“I would think he will definitely be out of the second Test, and we will have to wait and see whether or not he is available for the third.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments