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WRU issue statement on controversial South Africa match as Springboks decimated

These are your headlines on Tuesday, November 25. The WRU state this weekend's crowd for the clash against South Africa is expected to meet targets and explained why the fixture is going ahead. Saturday's match falls outside of World Rugby's international window, meaning Wales' English and French-based players are not available for selection. Many have questioned the logic of the scheduling, given 13 players will be unavailable for Test inclusion and Welsh clubs will be without their internationals this weekend. Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton branded it "ridiculous", while former fly-half Lee Jarvis called it "madness" for the game to be going ahead. It is understood the fixture was actually arranged as far back as 2020 under the union's previous regime. Some have questioned why this match wasn't played at the start of the autumn schedule when other nations played and the Welsh regions weren't in action. Those internationals were also outside the window but any Wales game would not have impacted on the domestic clubs. There has long been a debate over the fourth game of the autumn, with the economic factor being weighed up against the constraints it places on the field in terms of selection. In a statement the WRU said: "We will have welcomed almost a quarter-of-a-million supporters through Principality Stadium turnstiles, across the four consecutive weekends in November which make up the Quilter Nations Series in Cardiff, when we host South Africa this weekend. "From a performance perspective challenging yourself against the very best sides in the world game boosts player and team development and from a business point of view the addition of a fourth international match in the series directly boosts resources available to invest directly back into rugby in Wales. We are hugely grateful to the hundreds of thousands of fans who have shown their support for our new head coach Steve Tandy and his team as they build for the future. "We have received much positive feedback about the greatly enhanced matchday experience in Cardiff this year and look forward to another special occasion when we face the world champion Springboks on Saturday and expect another bumper crowd to join us. Tickets are still on sale through the WRU website, although availability is limited, with attendance again set to exceed the average for the series for the fourth match in a row." South Africa will arrive in Cardiff severely depleted for this weekend’s clash with Wales, with Rassie Erasmus confirming he will be down to just 25 available players as club demands strip away several first-team regulars. Despite being without a raft of stars due to URC and Japanese club commitments, the Springboks remain heavy favourites after an unbeaten autumn that has seen them defeat Japan, France, Italy and Ireland on the road. Wales, who are also without 13 players due to the game being outside of the Test window , enjoyed victory over Japan but were hit for more than 50 points by both Argentina and New Zealand either side of that win. Erasmus admitted the situation is far from ideal but said the Springboks had prepared for it well in advance. “We are going to lose quite a few players,” he said. “Some need to go back to their provinces, and some must return to Japan. Jesse Kriel can’t play, and the Japanese clubs asked nicely for their players back. “They helped us out with the Japan match outside the window, and this one is also outside the window. We’ll assess injuries and make some calls." Harri Deaves says his Wales debut against the All Blacks has the power to inspire young players back home in Pontyclun. The flanker made his Test bow in front of a packed Principality Stadium at the weekend and was visibly emotional during his post-match cap presentation. Speaking during his cap presentation, Deaves admitted the occasion still felt “bonkers”. “I can’t believe it – it doesn’t feel real,” he said. “A week before the Argentina game, I was in the Vale and I bumped into all the boys and coaches just going to the sauna. One day later I was called into the squad. “The following Saturday I wasn’t involved at all – I was coaching the youth. But the next Saturday, I was playing against the All Blacks!” Deaves said stepping onto the pitch for the first time as a Wales international left him lost for words. “To walk out there on the pitch, I honestly can’t find the words to justify the way I felt during the game,” he added. The 24-year-old said the cap meant as much to Pontyclun as it did to him personally, stressing the impact it could have on young players in his village. “This cap is for me, for my family, for my village as well,” he said. “I don’t think I understand the power this cap will have in the age-groups coming through. To see them all after the game, they live and breathe it.” “I’m proud of where I come from, I’m proud of this cap and I’m proud to represent my family, myself and the team.” England legend Ben Youngs says he is now “convinced” Steve Tandy is the right man to lead Wales forward after seeing clear signs of progress in their performance against the All Blacks. Speaking on the For the Love of Rugby podcast, Youngs said that while the 52-26 scoreline may appear brutal on paper, the display offered far more encouragement than criticism. “I do think Tandy’s definitely the right man for the job,” said the former England scrum-half. “Yeah, look, the score line doesn’t look pretty, but I think from a Wales point of view, there are a lot of positives. “We said in our Autumn Nations preview: judge Wales at the end of the autumn, when you get an overview of everything. “What they’re building towards is a Six Nations , and I think you’re seeing more cohesion, you’re seeing creativity, you’re seeing opportunities taken.” The 127-cap England great highlighted several areas where he believes Tandy’s influence is now becoming visible. “You’re seeing moments where they defend really, really well – some weak defending almost kills them at times – but I think Tandy’s done a really solid job,” he said. “52-26 doesn’t sound great, I get it, but from where Wales have been to where they are now, I’m starting to see a team that’s taking shape. I’m starting to see a team that actually have a game plan, a team that’s actually threatening. “You’re really starting to see a team that, under Tandy, is beginning to get a bit of identity about themselves." By Anthony Brown, PA Zander Fagerson hopes he has banished the darkest period of his rugby career after making his first appearance since April in Scotland’s final Autumn Test against Tonga on Sunday. The prop endured a “mental roller-coaster” over the summer after he was ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia following three separate calf tears. Fagerson was named in the initial Lions squad in May but then withdrew in June, although there was still a plan in place for him to go on Scotland’s summer tour of the South Pacific with a view to joining Andy Farrell’s squad in Australia later in the summer if all went to plan. “I had that first calf tear and then I was coming back from that and I got back to running and it was going well, and then the same calf, I had another tear of a different muscle because of a bunch of other things that we didn’t pick up,” he said when asked how close he was to being fit for Lions involvement. “That was brutal. “I then got back to a point where that calf was grand, but because I’d been compensating so much on my left side, the right calf flared up as well. “So then there was a point where I was going to go out with the national team and then I was going to possibly get called out (by the Lions) afterwards. But when push came to shove, there was no decision made. “I had such a mental roller-coaster that summer, I just said, you know what? I just want to have a break and get on with it. “I went on holiday in Asia, close to Australia, and I sort of put the Lions tour to the back of my head, but then actually when the first Test came around, it really hit me, so that was pretty dark. “But I had an amazing time with the family, did some incredible stuff with them and that’s memories I’ll have for a lifetime.” When he eventually recovered from his calf issues, Fagerson then suffered a knee injury in pre-season that caused him to miss the start of the campaign with Glasgow and the Scots’ opening three November Tests. “The knee was the worst one,” he said. “I came back fully fit and ready to go. I was buzzing to get back. I was in the gym, just doing squats and I built up to a weight I’d been doing all summer. I came off the rack and it just didn’t feel right. I couldn’t really walk on it and then got a scan. Not ideal.” Fagerson said it has “100 per cent” been the worst period of his career. “The hope of getting picked for the Lions and then going down for the media day and seeing all the boys, you get the buzz and you’re still part of it, which is awesome,” said Fagerson. “And then to have that ripped away from me, not once but twice again, was brutal. I don’t think I realised how much it ate away at me until when I came back with the knee injury, the missus was like ‘we need to have a chat, you’ve been pretty dark for a while’. “I’d had my break with the kids, I was refreshed, ready to start the season with Glasgow, and then that got taken away from me as well.” Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news. You can also follow us on social media on our X account , Facebook , Instagram and TikTok. For more exclusive stories and in-depth analysis, you can sign up for the Inside Welsh Rugby substack newsletter here.

Glen Williams •
WRU issue statement on controversial South Africa match as Springboks decimated

These are your headlines on Tuesday, November 25. The WRU state this weekend's crowd for the clash against South Africa is expected to meet targets and explained why the fixture is going ahead. Saturday's match falls outside of World Rugby's international window, meaning Wales' English and French-based players are not available for selection. Many have questioned the logic of the scheduling, given 13 players will be unavailable for Test inclusion and Welsh clubs will be without their internationals this weekend. Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton branded it "ridiculous", while former fly-half Lee Jarvis called it "madness" for the game to be going ahead. It is understood the fixture was actually arranged as far back as 2020 under the union's previous regime. Some have questioned why this match wasn't played at the start of the autumn schedule when other nations played and the Welsh regions weren't in action. Those internationals were also outside the window but any Wales game would not have impacted on the domestic clubs. There has long been a debate over the fourth game of the autumn, with the economic factor being weighed up against the constraints it places on the field in terms of selection. In a statement the WRU said: "We will have welcomed almost a quarter-of-a-million supporters through Principality Stadium turnstiles, across the four consecutive weekends in November which make up the Quilter Nations Series in Cardiff, when we host South Africa this weekend. "From a performance perspective challenging yourself against the very best sides in the world game boosts player and team development and from a business point of view the addition of a fourth international match in the series directly boosts resources available to invest directly back into rugby in Wales. We are hugely grateful to the hundreds of thousands of fans who have shown their support for our new head coach Steve Tandy and his team as they build for the future. "We have received much positive feedback about the greatly enhanced matchday experience in Cardiff this year and look forward to another special occasion when we face the world champion Springboks on Saturday and expect another bumper crowd to join us. Tickets are still on sale through the WRU website, although availability is limited, with attendance again set to exceed the average for the series for the fourth match in a row." South Africa will arrive in Cardiff severely depleted for this weekend’s clash with Wales, with Rassie Erasmus confirming he will be down to just 25 available players as club demands strip away several first-team regulars. Despite being without a raft of stars due to URC and Japanese club commitments, the Springboks remain heavy favourites after an unbeaten autumn that has seen them defeat Japan, France, Italy and Ireland on the road. Wales, who are also without 13 players due to the game being outside of the Test window , enjoyed victory over Japan but were hit for more than 50 points by both Argentina and New Zealand either side of that win. Erasmus admitted the situation is far from ideal but said the Springboks had prepared for it well in advance. “We are going to lose quite a few players,” he said. “Some need to go back to their provinces, and some must return to Japan. Jesse Kriel can’t play, and the Japanese clubs asked nicely for their players back. “They helped us out with the Japan match outside the window, and this one is also outside the window. We’ll assess injuries and make some calls." Harri Deaves says his Wales debut against the All Blacks has the power to inspire young players back home in Pontyclun. The flanker made his Test bow in front of a packed Principality Stadium at the weekend and was visibly emotional during his post-match cap presentation. Speaking during his cap presentation, Deaves admitted the occasion still felt “bonkers”. “I can’t believe it – it doesn’t feel real,” he said. “A week before the Argentina game, I was in the Vale and I bumped into all the boys and coaches just going to the sauna. One day later I was called into the squad. “The following Saturday I wasn’t involved at all – I was coaching the youth. But the next Saturday, I was playing against the All Blacks!” Deaves said stepping onto the pitch for the first time as a Wales international left him lost for words. “To walk out there on the pitch, I honestly can’t find the words to justify the way I felt during the game,” he added. The 24-year-old said the cap meant as much to Pontyclun as it did to him personally, stressing the impact it could have on young players in his village. “This cap is for me, for my family, for my village as well,” he said. “I don’t think I understand the power this cap will have in the age-groups coming through. To see them all after the game, they live and breathe it.” “I’m proud of where I come from, I’m proud of this cap and I’m proud to represent my family, myself and the team.” England legend Ben Youngs says he is now “convinced” Steve Tandy is the right man to lead Wales forward after seeing clear signs of progress in their performance against the All Blacks. Speaking on the For the Love of Rugby podcast, Youngs said that while the 52-26 scoreline may appear brutal on paper, the display offered far more encouragement than criticism. “I do think Tandy’s definitely the right man for the job,” said the former England scrum-half. “Yeah, look, the score line doesn’t look pretty, but I think from a Wales point of view, there are a lot of positives. “We said in our Autumn Nations preview: judge Wales at the end of the autumn, when you get an overview of everything. “What they’re building towards is a Six Nations , and I think you’re seeing more cohesion, you’re seeing creativity, you’re seeing opportunities taken.” The 127-cap England great highlighted several areas where he believes Tandy’s influence is now becoming visible. “You’re seeing moments where they defend really, really well – some weak defending almost kills them at times – but I think Tandy’s done a really solid job,” he said. “52-26 doesn’t sound great, I get it, but from where Wales have been to where they are now, I’m starting to see a team that’s taking shape. I’m starting to see a team that actually have a game plan, a team that’s actually threatening. “You’re really starting to see a team that, under Tandy, is beginning to get a bit of identity about themselves." By Anthony Brown, PA Zander Fagerson hopes he has banished the darkest period of his rugby career after making his first appearance since April in Scotland’s final Autumn Test against Tonga on Sunday. The prop endured a “mental roller-coaster” over the summer after he was ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia following three separate calf tears. Fagerson was named in the initial Lions squad in May but then withdrew in June, although there was still a plan in place for him to go on Scotland’s summer tour of the South Pacific with a view to joining Andy Farrell’s squad in Australia later in the summer if all went to plan. “I had that first calf tear and then I was coming back from that and I got back to running and it was going well, and then the same calf, I had another tear of a different muscle because of a bunch of other things that we didn’t pick up,” he said when asked how close he was to being fit for Lions involvement. “That was brutal. “I then got back to a point where that calf was grand, but because I’d been compensating so much on my left side, the right calf flared up as well. “So then there was a point where I was going to go out with the national team and then I was going to possibly get called out (by the Lions) afterwards. But when push came to shove, there was no decision made. “I had such a mental roller-coaster that summer, I just said, you know what? I just want to have a break and get on with it. “I went on holiday in Asia, close to Australia, and I sort of put the Lions tour to the back of my head, but then actually when the first Test came around, it really hit me, so that was pretty dark. “But I had an amazing time with the family, did some incredible stuff with them and that’s memories I’ll have for a lifetime.” When he eventually recovered from his calf issues, Fagerson then suffered a knee injury in pre-season that caused him to miss the start of the campaign with Glasgow and the Scots’ opening three November Tests. “The knee was the worst one,” he said. “I came back fully fit and ready to go. I was buzzing to get back. I was in the gym, just doing squats and I built up to a weight I’d been doing all summer. I came off the rack and it just didn’t feel right. I couldn’t really walk on it and then got a scan. Not ideal.” Fagerson said it has “100 per cent” been the worst period of his career. “The hope of getting picked for the Lions and then going down for the media day and seeing all the boys, you get the buzz and you’re still part of it, which is awesome,” said Fagerson. “And then to have that ripped away from me, not once but twice again, was brutal. I don’t think I realised how much it ate away at me until when I came back with the knee injury, the missus was like ‘we need to have a chat, you’ve been pretty dark for a while’. “I’d had my break with the kids, I was refreshed, ready to start the season with Glasgow, and then that got taken away from me as well.” Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news. You can also follow us on social media on our X account , Facebook , Instagram and TikTok. For more exclusive stories and in-depth analysis, you can sign up for the Inside Welsh Rugby substack newsletter here.

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