Wales v South Africa: Hosts move on to Springboks after New Zealand defeat

Wales's hopes of upsetting South Africa in the Six Nations Championship hung by a thread as the World Cup winners proved physical and dominant in Cardiff. The All Blacks have now extended their winning run against Wales to 34 games, a sequence dating back to 1953.

Damian McKenzie added 17 points with his kicking, while New Zealand scored seven tries despite being 5-0 down at one stage. Wales buckled under the pressure of the All Blacks' relentless attack and made 14 errors in penalty territory as they conceded penalties every time they infringed.

The match statistics told the story of the game - New Zealand's dominance was clear, with the visitors gaining over 1,000 metres from just 167 carries, compared to Wales' 593 from 77. Meanwhile, the All Blacks had one fewer tackle than Wales and were able to cross the gainline repeatedly through powerful wing Caleb Clarke and dynamic number eight Wallace Sititi.

"This victory extended the All Blacks winning run against Wales to 34 games," said coach Ian Foster. "We knew it would take a little while to break them down, but fatigue would set in and we could make the most of that."

Wales have now shipped 127 points in three November games, while South Africa will arrive in Cardiff next weekend after ending Ireland's unbeaten run at home.

The defeat has left Wales facing a tough challenge against the Springboks. The game is scheduled for financial reasons but clashes with a weekend of United Rugby Championship (URC) games, meaning that 13 players who play club rugby in England and France are unavailable for the fixture.

Wales have been without their star players for this tournament, and now face an even bigger challenge against the top team. Despite this, Welsh Rugby Union has managed to retain a glimmer of positivity following the convincing defeat dished out by the All Blacks.

OMG u guys ! so south africa is lookin like a dark horse for the six nations wales was crushin it but all blacks came in & brought the heat i mean 34 games win streak is insane damien mcKenzie's kicking was fire but all blacks had that dominant physical presence which u can't deny wales got outplayed big time in the stats department they gotta step up their game for the south africa match

.. 34 games unbeaten is mental ! Wales just got destroyed by those All Blacks, I mean, they were always gonna be tough opponents, but 5-0 down and 14 errors? That's just embarrassing . And those stats are crazy, like how many meters the All Blacks gained from just a few carries more than half of what Wales did . It's clear that New Zealand had their game plan on point and they wore Wales down.

You know, I was at this match in '02 when Wales beat the All Blacks, we were all so hyped ... and now look at them, they're just trying to keep up with a team on a 34-game winning streak! And to make matters worse, they gotta deal with South Africa next weekend. The odds are not looking good for the Welsh lads, but I guess you can't give up on 'em yet

Still can't believe Wales got smashed by 30+ points . They really got outmuscled and dominated on both ends of the field . Not sure how they'll bounce back from this one, especially with some big-name players missing . The All Blacks are looking pretty unstoppable right now, and it's hard to see anyone stopping them in the next few weeks . Wales' financial struggles just got a whole lot harder... not exactly the boost they were hoping for .

I'm telling ya, back in my day we used to watch rugby matches with our grandpas and it was always a battle. Wales is getting destroyed by the All Blacks right now, like 34 games straight! It's crazy how physical they are, all those tries and penalties... I mean, I knew the All Blacks were good but wow. Now they're gonna take on South Africa next weekend, that's gonna be a tough one too. And to make matters worse, they gotta play with a bunch of players who can't even make it due to club rugby games... That's just not fair to the team. Still, I gotta give 'em credit, Welsh Rugby Union is trying to stay positive despite this tough situation.

Ugh I'm so bummed about that rugby game , especially since Wales was really under pressure and couldn't cope with the All Blacks' relentless attack . The stats were just heartbreaking - 1,000 metres from just 167 carries? That's like me trying to run a marathon in my sleep . And those 14 errors on penalty territory? Ouch! . Anyway, I'm glad the Welsh Rugby Union is staying positive despite this tough defeat . Maybe they can find a way to break through against South Africa next weekend?

I don't know... I'm not sure what's going on with Wales lately . One minute they're like "we've got this" and the next they're getting smashed . The stats are just crazy - 1,000 metres in just 167 carries for NZ? That's insane! And I get that fatigue set in, but come on, can't they just keep up a bit better? But at the same time... maybe this is exactly what Wales needs? A wake-up call to sort out their game plan and get those star players back. I mean, the URC games are a total scheduling nightmare, but it could be a blessing in disguise if they can pull themselves together . Still, 34 losses in a row is a bit concerning...

I feel so bad for the Welsh team, they were just getting smashed on the pitch it's like, you can see the pressure building up and they're making mistake after mistake all over penalty territory... I don't think even a coaching pep talk could lift them now what's going on with their star players btw? are they injured or just taking a break from the sport?

I'm so frustrated for Wales right now... they had no chance against the mighty All Blacks . I mean, 14 errors in penalty territory is just crazy! They couldn't even kick the ball straight . The stats were brutal - over 1,000 metres gained from just 167 carries? That's dominance at its finest .

But you know what really gets me? It's not like Wales didn't see this coming. They knew they had to be physical and dominant if they wanted any chance against the All Blacks . But they just couldn't get it done . And now they're facing a tough challenge against South Africa - no star players, clashes with URC games... it's just not looking good .

Still, I've got to give credit where credit is due - the All Blacks were just on another level . They played some of the most beautiful rugby I've ever seen . And coach Ian Foster said it all: they knew it would take time to break Wales down, but fatigue would set in and they could make the most of it .

Anyway, here's hoping for a bit of redemption against South Africa... but let's be real, it's going to be tough

This loss in Six Nations is like a warning shot across Wales' bow . They gotta take responsibility for their mistakes and make sure they're not getting bullied by the All Blacks again . The stats show how dominant NZ was, and I'm worried about those 13 unavailable players - it's like having one hand tied behind your back . Financial reasons can't be an excuse for not having a decent fixture schedule . Meanwhile, the Springboks are looking pretty fierce, so I'd say this loss won't just be a footnote in Wales' history... but maybe it'll be a wake-up call?

Ugh I'm so over these online forums they're always about the same old topics and nobody ever addresses the real issues like have you guys noticed how hard it is to get tickets for the Wales vs Springboks game? They just announced the schedule on a Sunday and now I've got no chance of scoring one for my mate who's gonna be watching with his family it's so frustrating.

ugh 1-2 weeks ago i was like wales have a shot against south africa lol now theyre just trying not to get slaughtered i mean damian mcKenzie adding 17 points is cute and all but it aint gonna save them the stats are wild tho, i love how the all blacks dominated with only one fewer tackle than wales yet scored like 7 tries meanwhile wales just gave away penalty after penalty every time they infringed coach foster is right tho, fatigue would set in and wales got outplayed

ugh what a game I was thinking they had a chance to finally beat the All Blacks, but nope they just got destroyed... 14 errors in penalty territory is insane i mean i know the All Blacks are tough opponents but it feels like we're never gonna get that break. and now we gotta face South Africa who's basically unbeatable right now at least our boys gave it a good go, but not enough to come out on top

Ugh, I'm literally so frustrated with the layout of that article ! The use of short paragraphs and inconsistent heading sizes makes it super hard to follow . Can't they just stick to a consistent font size and line spacing? It's like they're trying to drive me crazy!

And don't even get me started on the lack of visuals . A simple graph or chart showing the game statistics would have been so much more informative . Instead, we're stuck with boring old text that just sums up the stats in a bunch of dry sentences .

I mean, I know they're trying to get their point across and all that, but can't they find a better way to do it? Maybe use some whitespace or something to make it easier on the eyes? It's like they want me to struggle to read it . Anyway, back to rugby... 34 game losing streak is pretty embarrassing for Wales

omg u gotta feel 4 wales rn they just got destroyed by the all blacks i mean 5-0 down at one stage & still managed to concede penalties every time they infringed it's like they couldn't get anything right damian mckenzie's kicking game was their only hope but even that wasn't enough the all blacks just bullied them in the tackle count 1,000 metres vs 593... no contest

omg 34 games unbeaten vs wales is insane!!! i feel bad for the wales team tho, they got destroyed the all blacks r just too strong rn but on the bright side wales r still in it and can pull off an upset against south africa next week fingers crossed for them!

I'm literally shaking right now, my heart is breaking for Wales ! How are they supposed to take on SA without their star players? It's like trying to put out a fire with a damp cloth . And 14 errors in penalty territory? That's just embarrassing . The stats are crazy, though - 1,000 metres from 167 carries vs 593 from 77? That's insane! But, you know what the saddest part is? It's not even about the team right now... it's about the fans who are gonna be left hanging . They're already down by a mountain of points after that game against Ireland last week, and now they gotta face SA without their main players . This season just got a whole lot harder for me

I mean, come on... 34 games unbeaten is insane! The All Blacks just dominate everything Wales was all over the place, making mistake after mistake. And that Caleb Clarke guy is a beast Wallace Sititi too, he's like a freight train . I think Wales needs to regroup and figure out how to stop these New Zealand players. They can't keep getting smashed And what's with the scheduling issues? 13 unavailability is just a nightmare for them But, you know, at least they're trying to make the most of it Still, I think South Africa's gonna be tough to beat...

I'm so bummed for Wales . They really got smashed by those All Blacks . I mean, 14 errors in penalty territory is just crazy . It's like they couldn't get anything going against that physical and dominant attack . And 127 points shipped in three games? That's a lot to take away from . The fact that 13 players are out due to URC games doesn't help either . Still, I got to admire the Welsh fans for staying positive despite this tough loss . Maybe they can regroup and come back stronger against South Africa? Fingers crossed !

Those All Blacks are like a well-oiled machine! 34 wins on the spin is crazy