South African press...
Boks saved lamest for last!
Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
"A summer of some discontent suddenly looms for the Springboks as they decamp on holiday after a humdrum 50 percent record from their end-of-year tour.
They’d had two prior northern hemisphere visits, in 2012 and 2013, where they earned a full house of wins each time under Heyneke Meyer’s tutelage, so it is inevitable that their latest effort is going to be viewed as alarmingly recessionary for the coach, his lieutenants and his players.
South Africa almost certainly produced their most lacklustre, uninspiring and shambolic performance of the current year in the tour finale against Wales in Cardiff."
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Welsh celebrations were at odds with Springbok gloom
Justin Palmer, IOL Sport
"In a dress rehearsal for a possible World Cup quarter-final meeting next year if both progress from the pool stage, Pat Lambie landed two penalties for the tired-looking Springboks who go home after suffering tour defeats against Ireland and Wales, along with victories over England and Italy."
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Gallery: Wales celebrate their long awaited win
VIEW GALLERY UK Media...
Wales win could rejuvenate Warren Gatland
Oliver Brown, Telegraph
"It felt like the expiation of a demon. The unholy clamour that heralded the climax of this churning, attritional Test signified not merely Welsh satisfaction at shaking off a 22-match losing streak against the southern hemisphere’s big three as a profound satisfaction that they would never have to relive the last 10 gut-wrenching minutes.
While Warren Gatland and his lieutenants had spent the past week scoffing at the merest hint of pressure, the mask of composure slipped during a chaotic conclusion that left defence coach Shaun Edwards almost foaming at the mouth as Wales threatened to buckle in a lengthy scrum.
There was perhaps poetic justice to be found in the fact that Willie le Roux, described by Edwards as Wales’s “torturer” during their last defeat by South Africa in Nelspruit in June, was guilty of the decisive knock-on."
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'Red Dragons overcome their demons'
Nik Simon, MailOnline
"Six years of hard luck stories have finally been put to bed. It was beautiful and ugly in equal measures at the Millennium Stadium as Wales at last overcame their demons to secure the most tense and precious of victories over South Africa.
There was to be no more choking in Cardiff - even if there were moments when Wales looked like coughing up their six-point lead."
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'Wales end the agony'
Eddie Butler, Guardian
"Sometimes the impact of a game on the mindset is more important than its quotation in the coaching manual of how brilliantly the game can be played. This was not one for the poets, but what a place it will have in the hearts of the Welsh squad. A win at last against a southern hemisphere giant, a first since victory over Australia in the early days of the age of Warren.
November had been a complete stinker of a month. Now it has the sweet aroma of a bonfire still aglow. There is light and there is heat in the Welsh game."
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Watch: Our man Andy Howell gives his verdict
Local scene...
'Hoodoo ended at the Millennium Stadium'
Chris Kirwan, South Wales Argus
"After 22 failures on the spin to the big three, Warren Gatland’s men deservedly triumphed six years to the day after their victory against Australia.
It wasn’t without drama and they could so easily have been enduring another sob story despite bossing the tense but poor and tryless game."
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'At last, Wales celebrate Boks scalp'
Mark Orders, South Wales Evening Post
"It wasn’t pretty, but Wales coach Warren Gatland won’t care - after 22 consecutive defeats to the Sanzar nations, he finally has a win to savour.
For Gatland, his coaching team and his players, the timing is perfect heading into World Cup year."
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