De Villiers delighted with maiden victory

South Africa Head Coach Peter de Villiers was delighted at the way his side played as they accounted for Wales 43-17 in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

South Africa Head Coach Peter de Villiers was delighted at the way his side played as they accounted for Wales 43-17 in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

This was De Villiers' first game in charge of the Springboks and there was a large concern that his side would struggle to function against Wales. It could not have been further from the truth though as his team found their feet and ran away with the game in the second half.

The final score-line gives the impression that it was an easy win, although De Villiers was quick to dispute that notion.

“It wasn't easy,” he said.

“But that said I am happy with the result and the way we played. The guys went out there and at first they didn't look too good but they picked themselves up in the second half.

“We will take this one and enjoy it but there are a few things that we need to work on, evidentially so. But that is for the new week, for now we will take this one, put it in our pocket, bank it and live from there.”

There was rife speculation leading up to the team announcement on Thursday as to who would play in his new-look side, but any fears the public may have had were not shared by the coach.

What pleased De Villiers most was the manner in which his side molded as a team in their first competitive game together, especially given that there were several new combinations on display.

“I thought it would actually take a lot longer for the team to gel,” he said.

“We have only been together for one and a half weeks so all credit to John Smit for moulding the guys so quickly on the field.

“As I said there is still a lot to be done and Wales managed to dictate the first twenty minutes very well.

“This is exactly where we want to be. If a team can go on the field and capitalise on what they see and build there own plans on the field then we are heading in the right direction.

“All credit to the team and John for this one though.”

Since getting his troops together De Villiers' main focus has been encouraging them to play a free-flowing style of rugby that doesn't rely too heavily on structure.

“I was quite surprised at how well the guys did,” he added.

“Your training games and sessions are not the real test of ability, it is the Tests themselves that allow us to see how good we are.

“What we got right is we took a bunch of talented individuals and turned them into a very good side, molded as one team under a very good leader.

“The senior players who know where we want to be all lead by example and it is important as coaches to take a few steps back and let them get on with it on their own.”

He was also quick to praise captain John Smit, who was leading the Springboks for the fiftieth time on Saturday, and De Villiers believed it was Smit's leadership skills that enable the team to perform so well.

“He is a fantastic leader and all credit to him for getting the guys together out there,” De Villiers said.

“We are lucky to have him and he was someone I always wanted to get back in the country and keep in the side. It is a tribute to him as a player and a person that we played so well.

“There are twenty-one other players but he is the one who gets them all working together and as a successful team.”

Smit and De Villiers will have it all to do again next Saturday as the sides clash in the second and final Test in Pretoria.

By Marcus Leach in Bloemfontein