World champions South Africa produced one of the most devastating performances in modern Test rugby history on Saturday evening, annihilating Wales 73-0 to inflict the heaviest defeat ever suffered by the Dragons on home soil.
In a match played outside World Rugby’s regulated international window, both teams were without overseas-based players. While Wales were shorn of experienced leaders and forced to field a largely developmental side, Rassie Erasmus still named a starting XV containing 12 players with previous Test caps and a bench featuring the infamous “Bomb Squad” heavy artillery.
The gulf was apparent from the first whistle and became a chasm as the game wore on.
South Africa ran in eleven tries in total, with 22-year-old fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu the undoubted star of the show. The Stormers playmaker scored a brilliant hat-trick (47′, 64′ and one in the first half surge), kicked six conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 28 points – the highest individual tally by a Springbok in a single Test against Wales.
Springboks try-scorers:
- Jasper Wiese (31′)
- Wilco Louw (43′)
- Morne van den Berg (44′)
- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (47′, 64′, 68′)
- Canan Moodie (50′)
- Andre Esterhuizen (54′)
- Ruan Nortje (69′)
- Eben Etzebeth (75′)
Centre Andre Esterhuizen and wing Canan Moodie were relentless, routinely breaking the gain-line at will, while the pack – led by a monstrous performance from replacement loosehead Zachary Porthen and lock Ruan Nortje – dominated every collision and set-piece.
Wales, under interim head coach Steve Tandy, managed just a single spell of sustained pressure in the 58th minute, earning a five-metre lineout only to be repelled twice and then penalised at the breakdown by the tireless Kwagga Smith.
The hosts’ misery was compounded by yellow cards to Aaron Wainwright (high tackle) and Taine Plumtree, while flanker Alex Mann required prolonged treatment after a late incident that saw Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth dismissed.
In the 79th minute, with the result long beyond doubt, Etzebeth was shown a straight red card after television replays clearly showed his thumb pressing into Mann’s eye area during a ruck clear-out. It was the only moment of controversy in an otherwise flawless South African display.
Even with 14 men, the Boks continued to hunt points, Etzebeth having crossed for their tenth try just four minutes earlier.
The 73-point margin surpasses Wales’ previous worst home defeat (0-62 v New Zealand, 2000) and equals the second-heaviest loss in their entire history (only the 13-96 reverse in Pretoria in 1998 was worse).
For South Africa, the victory caps a perfect 2025: unbeaten in 13 Tests, back-to-back Rugby Championship titles, a series win in Europe and now a return to World No. 1 in the rankings.
Final score: Wales 0–73 South Africa
Man of the Match: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa)