RECAP | Springboks finish 2024 with comfortable win over woeful Wales

The Springboks finished their year-end UK tour with three wins from three after a comprehensive 45-12 win over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday night.

FIRST TAKE | Dominant Springboks in a different league to Wales as 2024 ends on high

Off the back of a powerful scrum, the world champions outclassed their hapless opponents in a seven-try romp.

There's no doubt the Boks boast the best scrum in world rugby and their domination in this department was nothing short of brutal in Cardiff.

Wales were never in with a shot and outclassed by far superior opponents. This was Wales' 12th straight loss in 2024 - the first time they have gone a calendar year winless since 1937.

The Boks finished the year with an impressive 10 wins from 12 and it was also the first time since 2013 that they will return from a year-end tour by winning all their games.

The Boks scored tries through Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Elrigh Louw, Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenekamp and Jordan Hendrikse. Flyhalf Hendrikse kicked five conversions.

It wasn't a perfect performance by the Boks, who let several promising attacking chances gone begging. They'll feel they should have won by a larger margin.

But the year as a whole was highly successful.

Bok lock Mostert was named Player of the Match.

?? Player of the Match Franco Mostert reflects on his @Springboks side have improved week-in week-out on the #AutumnNationsSeries tour#WALvRSA pic.twitter.com/M8yDi8IrXJ

Scorers:

Wales 12 (5)

Tries: Rio Dyer, James Botham

Conversion: Ben Thomas

SA 45 (26)

Tries: Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Elrigh Louw, Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jordan Hendrikse

Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse (5)