A first-half blitz from Willie le Roux propelled the Springboks to a 38-16 rout of Wales in Durban on Saturday in the first of a two-Test series.
Fullback Le Roux scored one try and set up three others at King’s Park where Bryan Habana crossed over twice to go along with tries from Duane Vermeulen and debutant Cornal Hendricks as South Africa retained their unbeaten record against the Welsh on home soil.
“I will take five tries to one anytime, anywhere in the world. Last week we scored six against a World XV and now five against one of the top defensive teams around,” said South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer, who reserved special praise for man of the moment Le Roux.
“Willie is probably the best fullback in the world at the moment,” said Meyer.
“He is playing with a lot of confidence and has a license to express himself.
“I am very happy about his progress since he started on the wing last season. I challenged him to improve his aerial skills and defence last season and he did that very well.”
Fly-half Morne Steyn was also on song with the boot as he converted all five tries plus a penalty for a 13-point haul.
Wales wing Alex Cuthbert scored a fine solo try, which was converted by James Hook, in a losing effort with Dan Biggar accounting for two drop goals and a penalty.
The Boks were captained by Victor Matfield, who was making his return to Test rugby three years after his retirement, in the absence of injured skipper Jean de Villiers as the home side featured six changes to the team that beat an invitational World XV last week.
Wales boss Warren Gatland, who on Friday was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in the queen’s birthday honours list, included George North in his starting XV despite a recent illness.
Wales, whose lone victory against South Africa came 15 years ago in Cardiff, made a flowing start and were rewarded as Biggar landed an early drop goal.
That stirred the Boks into action, though, and the response from Meyer’s men was immediate as Le Roux clipped through a deft kick that was touched down by Habana in the corner on six minutes with Steyn nailing the conversion.
Wales were dealt a costly blow shortly after when Jamie Roberts was sin-binned for taking out an airborne Le Roux, albeit not deliberately.
The Boks made their numerical advantage count as Vermuelen ploughed over following a line-out with the undermanned Welsh defence simply overpowered and Steyn again converted to make it 14-3.
Biggar drilled a second drop goal to pull the Welsh to within eight but they were again torn apart moments after the restart as Le Roux darted down the left before dishing across to Habana who sprinted across the line for his second try of the contest.
Having set up two tries already it was then the turn of Le Roux to go it all alone as he collected his own nasty, bouncing kick that deceived Welsh counterpart Liam Williams to score the Boks fourth try just before the interval.
Biggar slotted through a penalty to leave Wales trailing 28-9 at half-time but the onslaught continued in the second period with Steyn sending over a penalty after the visitors were penalised for a dangerous tackle.
Hendricks made it a debut to remember as South Africa moved the ball from one side of the pitch to the other before Le Roux offloaded to the wing who brushed aside North on his way over on 51 minutes.
The floodgates seemed destined to open by this stage but the Welsh hung tough to keep the Boks at bay before notching a consolation try courtesy of Cuthbert’s magnificent individual effort as he ran from his own 22, weaving his way through the home defence before cutting inside Le Roux to touch down.
The sides will line up again in Nelspruit next Saturday for the second and final match of the series.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
DUNGEONS%20%26%20DRAGONS%3A%20HONOR%20AMONG%20THIEVES
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m, Winner: RB Frynchh Dude, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Mnasek, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Grand Dubai, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m, Winner: Meqdam, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Cosgrave, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Sanad Libya, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Madkhal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
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