Wales: South African pundits getting kicks in early

Lawrence Nolan

The tour, likely to be from hell for Wales, is still a month or so away, but that has not stopped South Africa’s rugby press getting a few early blows in.

Alun Wyn Jones has come in for some special attention, with one journalist saying: “Alun Wyn Jones has looked to me like he’s been done for a while now… I thought Adam Beard really impressed during the Lions series and I would definitely back those guys (over Jones).

Wind-up

Most have kept their views reasonably subjective, but as ever, Mark Keohane has gone off on a wind-up diatribe designed fully to raise the ire of the tourists, criticising the Welsh selection policy.

“They’ve come here 10 times and they’ve lost 10 times. Average score is 45-10. If you take the Welsh URC matches in South Africa this year – eight matches, eight defeats and an average score of 41-13.

“It’s all in the stars. Jacques Nienaber, Rassie Erasmus – we expect nothing less than a 3-0 drubbing of the Welsh.

“Are you surprised that Pivac has brought his strongest available Welsh side, with all these veterans, a year out from the World Cup to do what? Take a beating.”

The Welsh squad has been stretched paper-thin by injury, while the domestic game is in turmoil as it deals with the financial fall-out from Covid. The national team fell to Italy at home for the first time ever in March. Few expect much from the tourists and Keohane insists the Springboks will show no mercy in the series.

“They’re not using this to see how youngsters go at home. They want to pump Wales and pump them good,” he added.