Springboks extend Wales's record losing run with 45-12 victory

CARDIFF :South Africa scored seven tries as they eased to a 45-12 victory over Wales in their Autumn international clash in Cardiff on Saturday, inflicting a 12th successive defeat on their hosts to put more pressure on coach Warren Gatland.

The contest was more one-sided than the scoreline suggested and only the Springboks’ inaccuracy prevented it from being a real rout for the inexperienced home side.

The world champions scored tries through locks Franco Mostert and Eben Etzebeth, wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, flanker Elrigh Louw, fullback Aphelele Fassi, prop Gerhard Steenekamp and flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse as they finished their Autumn series with three wins.

Wales have plenty of soul-searching to do before the Six Nations starts in late January as they were forced to make more than 200 tackles and missed another 46. Wing Rio Dyer and flanker James Botham scored their tries and they trailed 26-5 at the break.

South Africa’s dominance was backed by the statistics, they carried the ball for more than a kilometre (1,066 metres), made 15 line-breaks, pushed Wales off their own ball at the scrum three times and pinched three of the home side’s lineouts.

That they did not make Wales pay more heavily on the scoreboard will be a frustration given they had spoken this week of an ’80-minute’ performance after wins over Scotland and England where they had not been at their best.

Wales would have hoped for a tighter scoreline but given where the two sides are in their development, it was not unexpected and they might have been fearing the worst as South Africa scored three tries in the first 18 minutes.

A rampaging Mostert raced onto a pass to canter over the line early on before an easy second score as the Springboks won the ball at the