Moodie scores twice as South Africa make a statement against Wales

Scores from Malcolm Marx, Moodie, Jesse Kriel and a penalty try gave Jacques Nienaber’s side a 24-9 lead at the break, with Sam Costelow kicking all of Wales’ points.

Kriel and Moodie crossed for their second tries after half-time before Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian Willemse took the visitors past a half-century, Sam Parry responding with a consolation for the hosts late on.

Wales get their World Cup campaign underway against Fiji on the 10th September while the Springboks will now look ahead to a Test against New Zealand at Twickenham on Friday.

Much of the pre-match build-up focused on Siya Kolisi’s return to the international stage after recovering from injury, and the Springbok captain made an immediate impact.

Twenty-year-old winger Moodie brought South Africa into Wales’ 22, and after some powerful carries, Kolisi showed off his velvet handling skills to burst through a tackle and offload to Marx for the opening try of the game.

However, Costelow struck back with a penalty five minutes later as Wales began to grow into the contest.

Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe were giving Wales’ significantly less experienced front-row forwards a masterclass at the scrum, winning two penalties in the opening 16 minutes.

🫶 Moodie breaking Welsh hearts with the interception try 🇿🇦

📹 @primevideosport #SummerNationsSeries #WALRSA @Springboks pic.twitter.com/Le1kKklVYM

— Summer Nations Series (@autumnnations) August 19, 2023

The second infringement gave Manie Libbok the chance to kick at goal, but the fly-half’s effort drifted wide, and the hosts remained within touching distance of the world champions.

Costelow made no such mistake when Wales won another penalty in front of the posts.

His kick edged Wales into the lead for the first time in the match, but that only seemed to spark the Springboks into life.

RG Snyman’s pick-and-go minutes later caused chaos in the Welsh defence, and after a series of superb offloads, Moodie received the ball in enough space out wide to cross the whitewash and give South Africa a 12-6 lead.

Costelow reduced the deficit to three points with his third penalty of the afternoon but South Africa continued to put Warren Gatland’s side under pressure and it told in the 33rd minute.

Moodie looked certain to score again after being put through by Willie Le Roux’s neat kick but Rio Dyer slapped the ball into touch, and the referee gave a penalty try to South Africa and a yellow card to the Welsh winger.

Less than a minute into Dyer’s spell on the sidelines, Damian de Allende’s grubber led to a mistake from Mason Grady, who popped the ball into the air on his own try line.

Jesse Kriel was the first to react, and the Springboks were 15 points ahead with a player advantage.

Wales came out of the blocks firing in the second half, controlling possession and taking the ball into the Springbok 22.

However, their first lineout error of the match cost them, and South Africa were able to clear.

That did not stop them though, and with 11 minutes played of the second half, Dyer made an outstanding break down the left wing to take the ball up to the visitor’s try line.

Wales looked certain to score as they began to run through the phases on the five-metre line, but Kieran Hardy’s loose pass was pounced upon by Du Toit.

⌚️ An interception timed to perfection for the Springboks to send Jesse Kriel over the line for his second try of the afternoon 💪 #Breitling #DefiningMoment @Breitling pic.twitter.com/9wnpHoY5Yi

— Summer Nations Series (@autumnnations) August 19, 2023

The 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year galloped from his own try line to halfway unopposed, and just as he was about to be caught, the flanker offloaded to Kriel.

The Springbok centre had enough pace to hold off the chase of Wales winger Alex Cuthbert and touch down under the posts for his second score of the match.

Du Toit grabbed a try of his own with 22 minutes left to play after a powerful carry from close range.

The floodgates had opened and after a series of substitutions, Moodie intercepted a loose pop pass from Johnny Williams.

And the prodigious young winger, who was impressive in defence as he was in attack all afternoon, went over to score his second.

Du Toit almost scored a second of his own after another indomitable carry from five metres out, but he was held up and the Springboks were forced to try again.

They did score at the second time of asking when Libbok fed replacement Willemse with a brilliant pass out wide.

Just minutes after taking to the field for his debut, Teddy Williams was sent to the sin bin after committing the latest in a series of Welsh infringements at the breakdown.

However, it was 14 against 14 when a bloodied Willemse was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.