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Pressure has been a controversial word in the Wales camp this week but there is certainly a weight of statistics stacked against Warren Gatland's side. They will be depressingly familiar to the nation's fans, but in case you don't know them, here they are: Wales have lost their last 16 games against South Africa and beaten them only once in 29 meetings; they have also lost two of their last seven by just one point and have developed a reputation for choking against southern hemisphere sides.
Wales' stats against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia combined, under Gatland, are also painfully poor: they have won only one in 27. The last three games have supplied ammunition for those keen to give brand Wales 'chokers', too, because they led in all of them heading into the final 13 minutes and still lost.
Yet, there is hope. Both sides have had to make changes for this one and, with the South Africa players out on the pitch in front of what looks like a reasonable crowd (even if it is a far from full stadium), there are some who think they will be there for the taking today.
The Wales team kept the expectant crowd waiting but as they come out to a rousing reception amid the flame throwers and fireworks they look in determined mood.
A perfectly-observed minute's silence for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes leads into the anthems and kick-off is now only moments away.
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| 1 |
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Dan Biggar gets the game under way and soon after takes a great catch. It's a lively start from Wales.
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| 2 |
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Another great take from Biggar and, as looking for offloads, it leads to a penalty for Leigh Halfpenny to take.
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| 3 |
3 - 0 |
Halfpenny goes through his familiar routine and calmly converts through the middle of the posts from the right of the uprights.
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| 6 |
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Alex Cuthbert makes a good catch as Wales look poised under pressure but Jamie Roberts loses his for a moment the ball goes to South Africa.
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| 7 |
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A frenzied opening has led to a few frayed tempers and Irish referee John Lacey speaks to the South Africans about some choice language before telling Sam Warburton his input is not required at such times.
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| 8 |
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South Africa win a lineout, which will be no surprise to Wales fans with their team's record and from the maul Biggar is penalised for not releasing. Pat Lambie indicates he will kick the penalty.
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| 9 |
3 - 3 |
Lambie earned 16 points for his team when they beat England and never looked like making a mistake with this one. It sailed over.
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| 13 |
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Biggar looks like he was tackled late and the crowd want a penalty but are denied.
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| 14 |
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South Africa penalised in the tackle and the crowd get their wish - albeit a little later than they had hoped and for a different offence!
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| 15 |
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Halfpenny's usual dependable accuracy is missing - just. He kicks for goal but misses, hitting the outside of the post.
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| 16 |
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Biggar's in the wars today. He looks like he is taken out while in the air by an Ebden Etzebeth charge but referee Lacey rules it was "a genuine attempt to play the ball".
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| 19 |
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Halfpenny and Liam Williams force South Africa to run the ball into touch and win a line out but Wales don't captialise. Gatland's team are having a lot of possession but the weight of pass is not quite right and the contact from the South African's is ferocious. Defences looking solid.
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| 21 |
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Taulupe Faletau emerges from midfield in what looks like a promising move but Wales lose possession. The potential and pace is there for Wales but not the accuracy.
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| 23 |
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Gethin Jenkins misses a tackle at the lineout and South Africa break and kick deep into Wales' half. Halfpenny stays calm, though, collects and works the channels to snuff out the opportunity.
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| 26 |
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Wales are using their lineouts to go for driving mauls deep in South African territory but there is no way through even though it is all hands to the pumps. Even the diminutive Halfpenny is getting involved in the maul. Wales need to make the pressure pay.
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| 30 |
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Wales are penalised after a failed lineout and Biggar, a key figure today, is ruled not to have released the ball from the bottom of the ruck.
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| 31 |
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Lambie chooses to kick from distance and goes very close but his kick penalty falls just short and it is still all-square.
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| 33 |
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You can almost feel the tension among the Wales fans rising as Gatland's team head towards half-time with no advantage to show for their positive play and possession. A beautiful break from Eben Etzebeth cranks it up another notch but Halfpenny comes to the rescue with a great tackle inside their own 22-yard line that leads to a South Africa knock-on and a release of the pressure.
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| 34 |
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Crash! Gethin Jenkins makes a huge tackle on Bismarck du Plessis, with his head against the hip, and then goes one-on-one with his opposite number in the front row of the scrum. It's brave - and probably inspirational - stuff for Wales. They're under pressure at the moment and need a lift.
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| 37 |
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South Africa are keeping the pressure on Wales in the home half, mauling well and performing in the lineout and the momentum Wales started with is seeping away.
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| 40 |
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Scores level at half-time as Wales withstand the pressure and the defences go in on top. They are grateful for the gift of a put-in and Rhys Webb finds touch to bring the interval. Wales were level against New Zealand and Australia at the break, too, so is their glass half-full or half-empty?
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| 40 |
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And they're off again. No changes to either side.
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| 43 |
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Wales have started the second-half in the same vein as the first. They are showing good line speed but can they keep this pace up? And will it lead to mistakes that prove costly?
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| 45 |
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South Africa have already had a scrummaging opportunity in the Wales half but Halfpenny's defence is still looking good.
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| 46 |
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Wales win a penalty thanks to Warburton as Bismarck du Plessis ruled to have committed the offence of failing to release.
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| 47 |
6 - 3 |
Halfpenny kicks from 43m and has the benefit of a central position as his low kick has the right trajectory to edge Wales ahead.
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| 49 |
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Wales collapse a scrum that South Africa won from the restart on the half-way line to bring immediate danger.
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| 50 |
6 - 6 |
Whatever you can do ... Lambie matches Halfpenny for distance kicking and converts from the halfway line. It's even Stevens again.
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| 51 |
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Coenie Oosthuizen is penalised for coming in from the side and brings Halfpenny back into the game. Defences and penalties the story of the game still.
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| 52 |
9 - 6 |
Halfpenny has three out of four now in this game and gives Wales momentum again.
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| 54 |
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Wales' defence rush Lambie and force a fumble to earn a scrum near the half-way line that earns them another shot at the posts.
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| 56 |
12 - 6 |
Halfpenny shoots, Halfpenny scores! It's not exactly free-flowing rugby here but no-one really expected that. Wales have started to get on top and they are captialising now.
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| 57 |
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As the substitutations suggest a change of approach from South Africa, who look like they might try to carry the ball more now, the visitors suffer a brutal blow. Jean De Villiers screams in pain and requires extended treatment and carrying off by a stretcher. The challenge from Taulupe Faletau looks like it twists his knee as De Villiers spins to the ground.
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| 58 |
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Confirmation that the South Africa captain has dislocated his knee but he gives a thumbs up as he is carried off to sympathetic applause. Victor Matfield takes over the duties of the skipper.
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| 61 |
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It's all getting a bit chaotic and disjointed now but Gethin Jenkins' consistency continues and he makes another big hit on Eben Etzebeth before Wales kick the penalty into touch.
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| 62 |
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Oh oh, South Africa's Cornal Hendricks could be in trouble. He goes takes out Leigh Halfpenny while both go for a high ball and referee Lacey rules it was dangerous and sends him to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Could this be a pivotal moment?
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| 65 |
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Wales approach the try line as Jonathan Davies' wing play and the combination with Jamie Roberts looks promising but they eventually lose the ball in a turnover after Rhys Webb and Scott Baldwin try and fail to break through the South Africa defence.
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| 66 |
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Halfpenny's day is over. He's been firm in defence and poised with penalties but probably lacked confidence carrying the ball. Can't say he hasn't put in a shift though.
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| 69 |
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Things are really going Wales' way now. South Africa have lost their captain to injury and seen a player sent to the sin bin. Now Willie le Roux, under no immediate pressure, knocks forward within five metres of his own line after Dan Biggar's drop-kick .
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| 71 |
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Wales miss out on what looked like a golden opportunity as the scrum fails to press the advantage. They are turned right around and lose possession.
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| 73 |
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The crowd noise is rising and Wales are growing in confidence but this is the period in which they have failed so many times before against South Africa and the other southern hemisphere nations. Can they hold on?
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| 77 |
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South Africa win a scrum on the Wales 5m line as Scott Williams fluffs a catch he needn't have gone for. Nervous times but the scrum holds firm and you can feel the relief in the Millennium Stadium as Wales win the turnover.
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| 78 |
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All the good luck has gone Wales' way this half: now Willie le Roux knocks on under no immediate pressure in his own half.
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| 79 |
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Dan Biggar deservedly made man of the match.
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| 80 |
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And they've finally done it! Not a game of great style but Gatland and the Wales fans will surely not care one jot. Ending with a defeat today would have been a bad omen for next year's world cup and the way the players celebrate show what a relief this victory is.
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