Wales Players Acknowledge ‘Brutal Situation’ Ahead of South Africa Match

Will Rowlands, who has earned 35 international caps for Wales, stated that the players must take accountability for the “brutal situation” the team currently faces. This declaration comes as Wales prepares to compete against world champions South Africa on Saturday, 23 November, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with kick-off scheduled for 17:40 GMT. The Autumn Nations Series match will be broadcast live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, and via live text and commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Wales is currently experiencing a record-breaking streak of 11 consecutive international losses, a performance that has led to increased scrutiny over head coach Warren Gatland’s position. Gatland’s squad has not secured a Test match victory since the 2023 World Cup and faces the prospect of losing every match throughout the 2024 calendar year. “We are all very aware we are the players, ultimately, we are the people who are playing the game and who control whether we win or lose,” Rowlands commented. He added, “You need good coaching input, support staff, you need everything else around it, but ultimately, the buck falls with us.” The lock further emphasized, “We are the ones responsible. Everyone is aware of that. We are the ones who have let ourselves down, probably, so far.” Rowlands also expressed support for the coach, stating, “Gats [Warren Gatland] is a very good man and he has done a great job for Wales. It is a brutal situation for everyone to be in.” The 33-year-old Racing 92 lock, Rowlands, highlighted the strong determination within the Welsh squad to reverse their fortunes. “It matters a huge amount to us to be able to play for Wales,” Rowlands explained. He continued, “When you lose any game, particularly when you feel you haven’t given the best account of yourselves, you feel you have let down yourselves, the public and the whole group. It is a horrible feeling.” Rowlands likened sport to a “rollercoaster,” noting, “sometimes there are more ups than downs. We are in one of the down periods.” He further elaborated on the players’ role: “We are the players on the pitch, guys who are pulling on the shirt and trying to give the best performance to back up everyone else – the coach, other players who aren’t playing, the support staff, the fans and people who come to the stadium.” Concluding his remarks, he stated, “So, I hope in tough times is when strong characters are made. I’ve got confidence in the group that will be the case.” The visiting Springboks arrive in Cardiff having recently won the Rugby Championship and boasting a record of 10 victories from 12 Tests this year, which underscores a significant disparity in current form between the two teams. Historically, South Africa has lost four of its last six matches played in Cardiff, yet their overall record against Wales shows six wins from the most recent seven encounters. “We need to leave a performance we can feel proud of,” Rowlands asserted. He recalled, “At the beginning of the autumn we talked about the three games and targeting to have at least two wins.” Acknowledging their failure to meet this goal, he added, “We haven’t delivered on that, but the last game can be important, result aside, from the performance that leaves a taste in everyone’s mouth.” A substantial experience gap exists between the teams, with South Africa’s match-day squad collectively holding 963 caps, significantly more than Wales’ 334 caps. “I have belief if we play well we can beat South Africa, but having a good performance will give us something to build on moving forward,” Rowlands affirmed. He concluded, “They are not unbeatable. They are a fantastic side, and are world champions for a reason, but there are guys in our team who have beaten them before.”