Springboks

Joe Hawkins has gone from being an international exile in Exeter to helping Wales try to cope without their England-based contingent.

Steve Tandy’s men finish their autumn campaign with a daunting fixture against world champions South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday.

A game against the Springboks would be hard enough with a full squad but Wales will be forced into huge changes to the 23 that put in a spirited performance in the 52-26 defeat by New Zealand.

Tandy is without Montpellier’s Adam Beard plus 12 players who have gone back to English clubs because the money-raising encounter has been arranged outside World Rugby’s official Test window.

Hawkins, who won his first cap in two years against the All Blacks after a move to Scarlets allowed him to resume his international career, is confident that the deputies can step up.

“You’ve always got to be ready and a chance can always come earlier sometimes due to injuries,” said the centre or fly-half.

“The boys have been training hard and I’m pretty confident anyone who does come in can do a good job next weekend.”

Fight and character only takes you so far in international rugby circles and New Zealand were undoubtedly a step up in class and quality.

This victory extended the All Blacks winning run against Wales to 34 games, a sequence stretching back to 1953.

Wales might have matched their opponents for 50 minutes but still conceded 50 points at home for the third time this year, after England and Argentina also brought up a half-century at the Principality Stadium.

The All Blacks also scored more than 50 points for the third consecutive match in Cardiff.

There was defiant and dogged home defence in evidence, but New Zealand still secured seven tries, with the boot of Damian McKenzie adding 17 points, while Wales missed 38 tackles.

The match statistics demonstrated that New Zealand dominance. The All Blacks managed 1,362 metres from 167 carries, compared to Wales’ 593 from 77. Tandy’s side made 223 tackles, compared to New Zealand’s 85.

For all of Wales’ endeavour, the All Blacks crossed the gainline repeatedly with powerful wing Caleb Clarke and dynamic number eight Wallace Sititi emphasising how the visitors appeared bigger, faster and stronger.

“Our power game was strong,” said All Blacks coach Robertson.

“We’re ranked one and two in the world in a lot of areas and one of them is our power game.

“We knew it would take a little while to break them down and they’d be in it at 50 or 60 minutes, but fatigue would set in and we could make the most of that.”

Wales have now shipped 127 points in three games this November with world champions South Africa arriving at the Principality Stadium next weekend.