Wales’ defence will determine whether Saturday’s Test against the Springboks in Cardiff becomes another bruising chapter in a difficult year.
There have been encouraging green shoots in attack – even in the 52-28 and 52-26 maulings by Argentina and New Zealand respectively.
But the hard truth is that Wales remain desperately vulnerable without the ball – and no team exposes defensive frailties quite like the Boks.
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Steve Tandy’s side has already conceded 368 points in 10 Tests this year at an alarming average of 36.8 per match. Cardiff alone has witnessed three half-century concessions in 2025, including a humiliating 68-14 thumping against England.
Tandy, a former defence coach with Scotland and the 2021 British & Irish Lions, will do well to shore up a leaky defence as part of the overall rebuilding job of Welsh rugby.
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The Springboks arrive in Cardiff with momentum, menace and a fair few scary monsters – even without a number of their leading lights who miss out due to this Test falling outside the international window.
The have averaged 37 points and five tries per match this northern hemisphere autumn, blending expansive ambition with their trademark power game.
“They know exactly what that game is,” Tandy said. “There’s a pride in their identity … and the physicality to back it up.”
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That the Boks have achieved that points average despite being handicapped by permanent red cards against both France and Italy, and then ignoring the scoreboard to grind Ireland into the dust, spells danger for the Wales defence.
The hosts have absorbed enormous defensive workloads in November – 187 tackles against Argentina, 216 against Japan and 223 against the All Blacks – and still conceded 16 tries.
They can expect to do plenty more on Saturday which will test team discipline which has cracked under the weight of energy-sapping tryline pressure.
Wales have conceded 33 penalties this month and suffered a red card for Josh Adams, with four other players shown yellow.
South Africa is the ultimate stress test and Cardiff is bracing itself for the visit of the No 1 team in world rugby.
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Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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Wales’ defence will determine whether Saturday’s Test against the Springboks in Cardiff becomes another bruising chapter in a difficult year.
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