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Wales player ratings vs South Africa | June Tests 2024
By Neil Fissler
Wales player ratings: Warren Gatland’s Wales were brave but just didn’t have the firepower to live with the Springboks after a yellow card filled opening quarter.
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Neil Fissler rates the Wales players:
15. Cameron Winnett – 5
The full-back should have hung onto a first-half scoring pass and was caught horribly flat-footed for Mapimpi’s try. While a turnover didn’t help his cause.
14. Liam Williams – 6.5
Brought into the side for experience and almost set up a try with a lovely interception. Superb in the air and was the only Wales player to make a line-break.
13. Owen Watkin – 5
Moved to the inside early on as Wales looked to get the ball out to their wingers. But with his side on the back foot needed to work hard in defence.
12. Mason Grady – 4.5
Seen as a bright hope, but he didn’t see as much of the ball as he would have hoped. Will be keen to see more of it in Australia, so only had limited success.
11. Rio Dyer – 4
Made little impact after being sin-binned after 11 minutes for a cynical offside as Wales clung on and clutched at thin air when Van der Mawe left him standing.
10. Sam Costelow – 6.5
He kicked the ball well out of hand but wasn’t afraid to try something different, leaving Mapimpi on his backside with a glorious sidestep was a real highlight of the game.
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9. Ellis Bevan – 4.5
Could have had a dream debut, but a chance to score a try went begging when he spilt the ball and had his hands full with his opposite number, De Klerk.
Gareth Thomas – 5.5
Recovered from a dodgy start to the game and really put his body and especially his shoulder on the line with a brilliant try-saving tackle on Roos on his own line.
2. Dewi Lake – 7
A real captain’s knock. Didn’t let a poor opening affect his game and galvanised his side in the first half. He was rewarded for chasing lost causes with a try.
3. Keiron Assiratti – 3.5
He had a late call-up and limped off just before half-time. After a tough afternoon, he will have Ox Nche living rent-free inside his head for weeks.
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4. Matthew Screech – 5
Had his work cut out against a couple of world-class World Cup winners but wasn’t found wanting and gave a decent account of himself before being replaced.
5. Ben Carter – 5.5
Topped the tackle charts with 16, with four of them coming in the first eight minutes. He was lucky that a sudden drop in height from Malherbe saved him from a yellow card.
6. Taine Plumtree – 5.5
Luckily, Aphelele Fassi’s kung-fu kick didn’t do more damage. He looked to cover a vast amount of ground and disrupted the smooth running of the Boks line out.
7. James Botham – 5.5
An industrious performance, but you wouldn’t expect anything less from Ian Botham’s grandson. Rolled up his sleeves in the trenches in a sound defensive effort.
8. Aaron Wainwright 5
Stupidly sin-binned for pulling down a maul to concede a penalty try, adding to the pressure his side were under, but made more metres than his team-mates.
Replacements
16. Evan Lloyd 3.5
Came off the bench for the last 14 minutes, got a couple of touches of the ball and made some metres.
17. Kemsley Mathias 3
Played 19 minutes but didn’t really do anything right, but also didn’t do anything wrong.
18. Harri O’Connor 4
Took less than 30 seconds to feel the power of Ox Nche but got stuck in with a couple of helpful tackles.
19. James Ratti 3
He was only called up in the week and got his big chance after an hour.
20. Mackenzie Martin – N/A
Came on for the last nine minutes and was left exposed with the mismatch with van der Merwe.
21. Gareth Davies – 4
Cannot fault his work rate, with 27 passes in 20 minutes on the pitch.
22. Eddie James – N/A
Another player who got on for the closing stages and got stuck in from the start.
23. Jacob Beetham N/A
He got ten minutes in a big call to take over at fly-half from Costelow.
