Wales Need To Make Case For Defence Against Springboks

Autumn international: Wales v South Africa

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 29 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT

Coverage: Listen on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru; unrecorded matter commentary connected BBC Sport website & app

Wales purpose to decorativeness their autumn pinch a spirited capacity against South Africa, but location is simply a superior threat of a half-century being conceded successful Cardiff for a 4th clip this year.

That caput coach Steve Tandy is capable to consciousness affirmative aft 3 of 4 November fixtures played shows nan size of nan task that he has taken on.

Wales were convincingly beaten 52-28 by Argentina and 52-26 by New Zealand either broadside of getting themselves retired of a spread erstwhile edging retired Japan 24-23 pinch nan past kick.

With 11 tries successful 3 games, their onslaught is giving logic for optimism anterior to nan Six Nations, but nan different broadside of nan crippled remains a immense problem.

Wales are braced for a superior introspection connected Saturday against a South Africa broadside that tin play expansively, but guidelines their crippled connected explosive power.

"They cognize precisely what that crippled is and they tin adapt, but astir of nan clip they don't request to," said Tandy, whose broadside person conceded 16 tries successful 3 fixtures.

"There's a pridefulness successful their personality of really to play and that fits their beingness attributes arsenic well. They've sewage nan physicality and athleticism to backmost that crippled scheme up."

Wales person conceded 368 points successful 10 fixtures this almanac twelvemonth astatine an mean of 36.8, pinch nan lowest constituent nan 68-14 location humiliation astatine nan hands of England.

For comparison pinch Six Nations rivals, nan English mean 17.1, Ireland 18.9, Scotland 20.9, France 25.6, and Italy 31.9.

Wales person held their opponents to nether 20 points conscionable erstwhile since nan 2023 World Cup, erstwhile beaten 16-14 by England successful London.

Tandy inherited a broadside that was leaking points and it should beryllium recognised that he has only had nan squad for conscionable complete a month, and does not person a imperishable defence coach connected his staff.

The erstwhile flanker had that domiciled pinch Scotland and nan British and Irish Lions successful 2021.

He has taken nan lead, alongside his galore different duties, pinch nan thief of legendary erstwhile blind-side Dan Lydiate, who is only astatine nan commencement of his coaching profession pinch Dragons.

Wales started nan autumn by making 187 tackles against Argentina pinch a occurrence complaint of 86%, nan Pumas making 14 statement breaks.

A week later they went up to 216 tackles and 90% pinch Japan managing 5 statement breaks.

The tackle count against New Zealand – which ended astatine 223 pinch a occurrence complaint of 85% - yet told, pinch nan All Blacks making 9 statement breaks.

Wales person suffered from nan nonaccomplishment of skipper Jac Morgan and opted against calling up open-side Tommy Reffell to supply different jackal threat, alternatively giving versatile Cardiff back-rower Alex Mann nan chance to bask an encouraging tally successful nan team.

On nan backmost ft against power, they person been incapable to stem nan travel pinch only 5 breakdown steals complete nan people of nan campaign.

Yet it is their subject that will beryllium successful nan spotlight against a South African instrumentality that will beryllium truthful difficult to extremity successful nan 22.

Wales person conceded 33 penalties successful nan November Tests truthful far, pinch indiscretions starring to a reddish paper for Josh Adams and yellows for Ben Thomas, Tomos Williams, Taine Plumtree and Gareth Thomas.

"We person to beryllium smarter because we spent 10 minutes successful nan 22 defending past weekend," said Tandy.

"The bravery, toughness, value and physicality they put successful was outstanding, but we wanted to do that little because you tin spot what we tin do erstwhile we're astatine nan different extremity of nan field."

South Africa person averaged 37 points and 5 tries per crippled from autumn successes against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland.

The world champions will beryllium expected to make it a cleanable expanse connected Saturday, nan dream is that Tandy's broadside tin limit nan damage.