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What Biggar said about Anscombe as Wales toppled Boks on SA soil

By PA
Wales' Gareth Anscombe (L) sets up to kick the ball during an international rugby union match between South Africa and Wales at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on July 9, 2022. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

Dan Biggar hailed Wales’ “huge achievement” after his team of history-makers stunned world champions South Africa 13-12 in Bloemfontein.

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It was Wales’ first win against the Springboks on South African soil, ending 58 years of hurt and arriving at the 12th attempt.

After suffering an agonising three-point defeat in last weekend’s series opener, Wayne Pivac’s team made no mistake at the second time of asking and set up a Cape Town decider next Saturday.

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Josh Adams’ 78th-minute try was converted from the touchline by his fellow replacement Gareth Anscombe – who went on for Biggar early in the second half – as Wales levelled the series.

“We have earnt the right to enjoy this victory because it is a huge achievement,” Wales captain Biggar said.

“There have been some very, very good Wales teams to have come here and been sent packing. We are a really tight-knit group, and everyone deserves a pat on the back.

“I mentioned before the game in my speech (to the players) that it was an easy job to be captain of this team because we have got a great group of guys who will roll their sleeves up and work their socks off.”

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On Anscombe’s match-winning strike, Biggar added: “It was absolute character from him.

“I thought he was excellent when he went on, and from the minute it left his boot it looked good, so huge bottle from him and a huge effort.

“I am really pleased for him because he has had a difficult couple of years with injury. I am really proud of him, and Sam Wainwright on debut against a front row full of World Cup winners, it was exceptional from him.”

Biggar (shoulder) and wing Alex Cuthbert (arm) both departed the action early as Wales dug deep to claim an unforgettable win.

“I am a bit sore, so we will see how it pulls up tomorrow, but the last two minutes made it a little bit better,” Biggar said.

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“I will be desperate to be involved next Saturday. Hopefully, it is just a bang and nothing more.”

Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber’s decision to make 14 changes backfired – he rested World Cup winners like Siya Kolisi, Faf de Klerk and Cheslin Kolbe – as Wales triumphed, with Biggar and Anscombe also kicking penalties and Handre Pollard booting four penalties for South Africa.

Just over three months after losing at home to Italy, Wales stunned the world champions, with head coach Pivac masterminding a landmark triumph.

Pivac, though, deflected praise following one of the great Wales coaching feats in any sport.

“It is not about individuals, and I certainly don’t feel as though I have achieved anything more than anyone else in the group,” he said.

“These boys play the game, we prepare them and they go out there and they have got through some dark times in an 80-minute game. They did it and dug themselves out of a hole at 12-3 down and got a result we are all proud of.

“After last week, it feels very, very good, obviously. We went through the pain of losing a game in the last quarter, and today we have turned the game around and won it in the last quarter.

“Our discipline was a lot better in the pressure moments in the final quarter, and then to hold out in that last scrum was a big moment as well. Young Sam Wainwright, on his debut, to go in and do such a good job, I am very pleased for him.

“We really wanted to create the history last week, and to not be able to do that the way it was was really frustrating. We took the feeling of last week into this week. I am very happy.

“It will be an enjoyable week because there is something on the game and, in the past, I don’t think there has been. There is a lot to look forward to.”

Nienaber handed debuts to six players at the Toyota Stadium, and he said: “We said from the start (of the series) that we had a plan for 42 players.

“There was risk, but the answers you get out of it outweigh the risk.

“It’s good for the players to understand what a Test match intensity is like, what your accuracy levels have to be. The players would have learned a lot from that.

“We had guys playing their first Test match, guys in-form in different competitions all over the world, but Test matches are different and small margins cost you games.

“I have said all along that Wales were coming here not to compete, they were coming here to win a series. Going into the last game, it is going to be a final.”

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JW 24 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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