Wales got absolutely obliterated 43-0 by South Africa in Durban, failing to score a single point in the third round of the Nations Championship. This wasn't just a loss; it was a seven-try bonus-point shellacking that hammered home the massive gap between these two nations. Seriously, it's getting harder to watch this team right now.
South Africa's Untouchable Dominance
The Springboks looked absolutely unstoppable, racking up an incredible seven tries from Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Jessie Kriel, Jaco Williams, Herschel Jantjies, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Paul de Villiers. Seriously, they just kept coming! And get this: they did it without some of their biggest names. We're talking no captain Siya Kolisi, no Cheslin Kolbe, no Ox Nche, and star lock Eben Etzebeth was one of *seven* locks missing from the squad! That's how deep this Springbok team is, pulling in new caps like Carlu Sadie and Ruben van Heerdem. This comfy win pushed their insane streak to an 11th successive victory, solidifying their spot at the absolute top of the world rankings. They're also sitting pretty at the top of the northern hemisphere table in the Nations Championship with three dominant wins, already taking down England and Scotland before this complete dismantling of Wales. Nobody's close to them right now, it's kinda wild.Wales' Attack Is a Ghost Town
Okay, so it wasn't quite the 73-0 record home loss they suffered last November in Cardiff, but an aggregate score of 116-0 over the past two games against South Africa? That's just brutal, man. Wales, who are ranked 12th globally, looked completely toothless in attack, failing to score *again* this game. Their coach, Steve Tandy, in his first season, has already racked up nine defeats against only three wins in 12 internationals. Those victories came against Italy, Fiji, and Japan, which, let's be real, aren't exactly world-beaters. They were already coming off a second successive defeat after losing 35-21 to Argentina in San Juan. Tandy even switched up the midfield, but an ineffective attacking play involving Ben Thomas led to a crucial turnover! To make matters worse, wing Josh Adams was a late withdrawal due to a calf problem just before the game. This team can't catch a break, and it totally shows on the field. The Nations Championship is officially at its halfway stage, and the picture couldn't be clearer. South Africa is on an absolute tear, with coach Rassie Erasmus pulling off wild rotations, making 10 starting alterations, and even giving 20-year-old Vusi Moyo his first cap as the youngest Springboks number 10, despite only one club start. And guess what? Moyo still nailed his first international points! Meanwhile, Wales looks completely lost, their attack nonexistent, and the numbers are just screaming for a complete overhaul before things get even worse. Their scrum got buckled early on and completely dismantled on their own line, directly leading to Reinach's try. The rest of the league needs to figure out how to stop this Springbok freight train, because nobody else seems to have a clue how to slow them down.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.