Steve Tandy Analyses Wales’ Disappointing Performance Against the Springboks
- Wales head coach Steve Tandy spoke to the media after his side suffered a heavy Nations Championship defeat to South Africa at Kings Park
- The Springboks ran in seven unanswered tries as Wales struggled to compete with the world champions' physicality and defensive pressure
- Tandy identified key moments around half-time as turning points and acknowledged areas where Wales must improve before the autumn Tests
Wales head coach Steve Tandy conceded his side were outclassed in every department as South Africa handed them a 43-0 defeat at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday in the Nations Championship.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking to the press afterwards, a visibly disappointed Tandy acknowledged the gap in quality between the two sides, while stopping short of writing off the result as a purely negative experience for his squad.
Tandy: Springboks exposed Wales at every turn
South Africa controlled the match from start to finish, dominating possession, territory, the set-piece and defence. Although Wales remained competitive for much of the opening half, the Springboks pulled away after the interval, crossing the try line seven times without reply.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Tandy admitted the final minutes before the break and the opening stages of the second half proved decisive in determining the outcome.
He expressed his disappointment with the final score but praised his players for their commitment, saying they remained competitive for long spells. However, he acknowledged that key moments either side of half-time allowed South Africa to take complete control of the contest.
Tandy also felt Wales failed to capitalise on the few attacking opportunities they created. He noted that his side needed to be more clinical during a promising spell midway through the first half, where they had chances to put the hosts under pressure.
The Wales coach further highlighted South Africa's dominance at scrum time, explaining that it made it extremely difficult for his team to gain any attacking rhythm. He added that the Springboks' precise kicking game continually forced Wales onto the back foot and described the world champions as a polished side with remarkable squad depth.
Tandy on what Wales learnt from the game
Despite the scoreline, Tandy rejected the suggestion that Wales' inability to cross the try line reflected a deeper problem with their attack.
"No, I don't think it's a concern. You come up against the best team, probably one of the most physical in the world," added.
He was, however, clear-eyed about the work that lies ahead.
"There are lots of things that we have to get better at and grow our game," he said.
Wales will now have a three-month break from international rugby before returning to face Japan in Cardiff on 7 November. Tandy indicated the squad would use the intervening period to reflect and recalibrate.
"When you reflect on the year, we've had some really good moments, and there've been some young players coming through. We've had some combinations. There's lots of learning; we'll recover, reflect and get ready to come in the autumn."
Springboks star celebrates after hitting 50th cap
Briefly News previously reported that Springbok speedster Cheslin Kolbe described reaching the 50-Test milestone as a dream come true after helping South Africa to a convincing 45-21 victory over England on Saturday.
The electric winger celebrated his landmark appearance in style, scoring a try and adding five successful conversions as the Springboks opened their Nations Championship campaign with an impressive bonus-point win.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
