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:1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa

{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox rugby union tour

| team = Wales

| destination = Africa

| yearstart = 1998

| yearfinish =

| coach = Dennis John

| captain = Rob Howley

| matchplayed = 6

| matchwon = 1

| matchdraw = 0

| matchlost = 5

| testplayed = 2

| testwon = 1

| testdraw = 0

| testlost = 1

| opponent1 = {{ru|ZIM}}

| played1 = 1

| won1 = 1

| draw1 = 0

| lost1 = 0

| opponent2 = {{ru|RSA}}

| played2 = 1

| won2 = 0

| draw2 = 0

| lost2 = 1

| previous = 1997 North America

| next = 1999 Argentina

}}

The Wales national rugby union team toured southern Africa in June 1998, playing test matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as tour matches against the Emerging Springboks and three of the South African provincial sides.

Wales head coach Kevin Bowring had resigned at the end of the 1998 Five Nations Championship, and with a replacement yet to be appointed, Dennis John was made caretaker coach ahead of the tour.{{Cite news |last=Howell |first=Andy |date=20 June 2014 |title='It was like a scene from the film, Zulu!' The inside story of South Africa 96-13 Wales...through the eyes of those who were there |work=Wales Online |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-south-africa-1998-7299761 |access-date=19 December 2020 }} Prior to the tour, 18 players from Wales made themselves unavailable to participate, while a further 8 picked up injuries during the tour.{{Cite news |last=Orders |first=Mark |date=1 April 2020 |title=The day fuming Colin Charvis turned on his own Wales team-mates |work=Wales Online |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/day-raging-colin-charvis-turned-13980508 |access-date=19 December 2020 }}

Wales won their initial match against Zimbabwe in Harare, before moving on to the second leg of the tour in South Africa. Here they would play four tour matches against representative and provincial opposition and a test match against the Springboks. Wales lost all four of the tour matches, and then were defeated by South Africa in the test match. The final scoreline of 96–13 was the biggest defeat Wales had ever had,{{Cite news |last=Godwin |first=Hugh |date=27 June 1998 |title=Rugby Union: Blackest day for the Welsh |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-blackest-day-for-the-welsh-1168169.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-blackest-day-for-the-welsh-1168169.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=19 December 2020 }}{{cbignore}} and remains so {{as of|2024|lc=y}}.

Squad

Pending the appointment of a replacement for coach Kevin Bowring, who resigned after the 1998 Five Nations Championship, Wales named Pontypridd's Dennis John as their interim coach for the tour of southern Africa. With 16 regular squad members unavailable due to injury, including fly-half Neil Jenkins and centre Scott Gibbs, they named a 30-man squad that included 10 uncapped players{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Hewett |title=Rugby Union: Wales call on John for the short term |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-wales-call-on-john-for-the-short-term-1157906.html |work=The Independent |date=21 May 1998 |accessdate=20 March 2024 }} A further seven players were injured during the tour, including captain Rob Howley; called up in their place were the likes of Ebbw Vale back rower Kingsley Jones – in what would turn out to be his final Wales call-up – and uncapped Llanelli fly-half Stephen Jones.

class="wikitable sortable"
Name

! Position

! Club

!class="unsortable"| Notes

{{sortname|Garin|Jenkins}}

| Hooker

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Barry|Williams|dab=rugby union}}

| Hooker

| Richmond

|

{{sortname|John|Davies|dab=rugby union, born 1971}}

| Prop

| Richmond

|

{{sortname|Ben|Evans|dab=rugby union}}

| Prop

| Neath

|

{{sortname|Mike|Griffiths}}

| Prop

| Pontypridd

|

{{sortname|Darren|Morris}}

| Prop

| Neath

|

{{sortname|Paul|Arnold|dab=rugby union}}

| Lock

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Ian|Gough}}

| Lock

| Newport

|

{{sortname|Andy|Moore|dab=rugby union, born 1974}}

| Lock

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Chris|Stephens|dab=rugby union}}

| Lock

| Bridgend

| Injury replacement for Mark Jones

{{sortname|Chris|Wyatt|dab=rugby union}}

| Lock

| Llanelli

|

{{sortname|Rob|Appleyard}}

| Back row

| Swansea

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Colin|Charvis}}

| Back row

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Kingsley|Jones|dab=rugby union, born 1969}}

| Back row

| Ebbw Vale

| Injury replacement for Rob Appleyard

{{sortname|Mark|Jones|dab=rugby, born 1965}}

| Back row

| Ebbw Vale

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Geraint|Lewis}}

| Back row

| Pontypridd

| Injury replacement for Scott Quinnell

{{sortname|Scott|Quinnell}}

| Back row

| Richmond

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Dean|Thomas|dab=rugby union}}

| Back row

| Swansea

| Injury replacement for Martyn Williams

{{sortname|Nathan|Thomas|dab=rugby union}}

| Back row

| Bath

|

{{sortname|Martyn|Williams}}

| Back row

| Pontypridd

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Rob|Howley}}

| Scrum-half

| Cardiff

| Captain

{{sortname|Paul|John|dab=rugby union}}

| Scrum-half

| Pontypridd

|

{{sortname|David|Llewellyn|dab=rugby union}}

| Scrum-half

| Ebbw Vale

| Injury cover for Rob Howley

{{sortname|Stephen|Jones|dab=rugby union}}

| Fly-half

| Llanelli

| Injury replacement for Wayne Proctor

{{sortname|Byron|Hayward}}

| Fly-half

| Ebbw Vale

|

{{sortname|Arwel|Thomas}}

| Fly-half

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Leigh|Davies}}

| Centre

| Cardiff

|

{{sortname|Geraint|Evans|dab=rugby union}}

| Centre

| Neath

| Injury replacement for David Weatherley

{{sortname|John|Funnell}}

| Centre

| Ebbw Vale

|

{{sortname|Mark|Taylor|dab=rugby union, born 1973}}

| Centre

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Garan|Evans}}

| Wing

| Llanelli

|

{{sortname|Dafydd|James}}

| Wing

| Pontypridd

|

{{sortname|Wayne|Proctor}}

| Wing

| Llanelli

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Richard|Rees|dab=rugby union}}

| Wing

| Swansea

|

{{sortname|Lenny|Woodard}}

| Wing

| Ebbw Vale

|

{{sortname|David|Weatherley|dab=rugby union}}

| Full-back

| Swansea

| Withdrew due to injury

{{sortname|Darril|Williams}}

| Full-back

| Llanelli

|

Matches

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="width:142px"|Date

!scope="col" style="width:310px"|Venue

!style="width:180px"|Home

!style="width:75px"|Score

!style="width:180px"|Away

!style="width:75px"|Source

6 June 1998

|National Sports Stadium, Harare

|style="text-align:right"|{{ru-rt|ZIM}}

|11–49

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|{{Cite news |first=Hugh |last=Godwin |title=Rugby Union: Hayward launches Wales' tour |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-hayward-launches-wales-tour-1163428.html |work=The Independent |date=6 June 1998 |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-hayward-launches-wales-tour-1163428.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live }}{{cbignore}}

12 June 1998

|Secunda Stadium, Secunda

|style="text-align:right"|{{ruA-rt|RSA|name=Emerging Springboks}}

|35–13

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|

16 June 1998

|Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London

|style="text-align:right"|Border Bulldogs

|24–8

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|

19 June 1998

|Kings Park Stadium, Durban

|style="text-align:right"|Natal Sharks

|30–23

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|{{Cite news |title=Rugby Union: Joubert has final word as Natal ease past Wales |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-joubert-has-final-word-as-natal-ease-past-wales-1166245.html |work=The Independent |date=19 June 1998 |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-joubert-has-final-word-as-natal-ease-past-wales-1166245.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live }}{{cbignore}}

23 June 1998

|Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark

|style="text-align:right"|Gauteng Falcons

|39–37

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|{{Cite news |title=Rugby Union: Thomas sent off as Wales succumb |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-thomas-sent-off-as-wales-succumb-1167210.html |work=The Independent |date=23 June 1998 |access-date=19 December 2020 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-thomas-sent-off-as-wales-succumb-1167210.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription }}{{cbignore}}

27 June 1998

|Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

|style="text-align:right"|{{ru-rt|RSA}}

|96–13

|style="text-align:left"|{{ru|WAL}}

|{{Cite news |last=Osterhuis |first=Mark |date=28 June 1998 |title=Rugby Union: Boks brand Wales as worst in history |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-boks-brand-wales-as-worst-in-history-1168429.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-boks-brand-wales-as-worst-in-history-1168429.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=19 December 2020 }}{{cbignore}}

=Zimbabwe vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=6 June 1998

|time=

|team1={{ru-rt|ZIM}}

|score=11–49

|report=[http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23411.html Report]

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Bekker

|pen1=Tsimba (2)

|try2=Hayward (3)
Rees (2)
A. Thomas (2)
Proctor

|con2=A. Thomas (3)

|pen2=A. Thomas

|stadium=National Sports Stadium, Harare

|attendance=6,000

|referee=Johnnie Meuwesen (Namibia)

}}

style="width:100%"
style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"|

{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"

width="25"|width="25"|
FB15Victor Olonga
RW14G. Campbell
OC13John Ewing
IC12Brendan French
LW11R. Karimazondo{{suboff|49}}
FH10Kennedy Tsimba{{suboff|60}}
SH9Ryan Bekker{{suboff|70}}
N88Brendon Dawson (c)
OF7Mordekai Mwerenga{{suboff|30}}
BF6Leon Greeff
RL5Shaun Landman
LL4Brenton Catterall
TP3Graham Stewart
HK2Wayne Barratt{{suboff|72}}
LP1Gary Snyder
colspan="3"|Replacements:
FL C. McNab{{subon|30}}
WG Dave Walters{{subon|49}}
FB Doug Trivella{{subon|60}}
SH Neill Nortje{{subon|70}}
HK Ian Neilson{{subon|72}}
colspan="3"|Coach:
colspan="3"|{{flagicon|ZIM}} Alex Nicholls

|style="vertical-align:top"|

|style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"|

cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:auto"
width="25"|width="25"|
FB15David Weatherley{{suboff|31}}
RW14Richard Rees
OC13Mark Taylor{{suboff|27}}
IC12Dafydd James
LW11Wayne Proctor
FH10Arwel Thomas
SH9Rob Howley (c){{suboff|78}}
N88Scott Quinnell{{suboff|56}}
OF7Martyn Williams
BF6Nathan Thomas
RL5Andy Moore
LL4Mark Jones{{suboff|71}}
TP3John Davies
HK2Garin Jenkins{{suboff|56}}
LP1Darren Morris
colspan="3"|Replacements:
CE16John Funnell{{subon|27}}
FB17Byron Hayward{{subon|31}}
SH18Paul John{{subon|78}}
HK19Barry Williams{{subon|56}}
PR20Mike Griffiths
LK21Chris Wyatt{{subon|71}}
FL22Colin Charvis{{subon|56}}
colspan="3"|Coach:
colspan="3"|{{flagicon|WAL}} Dennis John

|}

=Emerging Springboks vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=12 June 1998

|time=

|team1={{ruA-rt|RSA|name=Emerging Springboks}}

|score=35–13

|report=

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Daniels (3)
Fleck
L. Venter

|con1=Koen (2)

|pen1=Koen (2)

|try2=James

|con2=Hayward

|pen2=Hayward (2)

|stadium=Secunda Stadium, Secunda

|attendance=

|referee=Jonathan Kaplan (Natal)

}}

=Border Bulldogs vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=16 June 1998

|time=

|team1=Border Bulldogs

|score=24–8

|report=

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Heidtmann
Van der Walt

|con1=Bradbrook

|pen1=Bradbrook (4)

|try2=Rees

|pen2=A. Thomas

|stadium=Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London

|attendance=

|referee=Tappe Henning (Northern Transvaal)

}}

=Natal Sharks vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=19 June 1998

|time=

|team1=Natal Sharks

|score=30–23

|report=

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Brink (3)
Joubert

|con1=Joubert (2)

|pen1=Joubert (2)

|try2=A. Thomas
Hayward

|con2=A. Thomas (2)

|pen2=A. Thomas (3)

|stadium=Kings Park Stadium, Durban

|attendance=

|referee=André Watson (Eastern Transvaal)

}}

=Gauteng Falcons vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=23 June 1998

|time=

|team1=Gauteng Falcons

|score=39–37

|report=

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Geyer (2)
Strydom
Lourens
Moyle
Booysen

|con1=Van Straaten (2)
Van As

|pen1=Van Straaten

|try2=Funnell
Arnold
Woodard
Taylor

|con2=Hayward (4)

|pen2=Hayward (3)

|stadium=Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark

|attendance=

|referee=Carl Spannenberg (Western Province)

}}

=South Africa vs Wales=

{{rugbybox

|date=27 June 1998

|time=

|team1={{ru-rt|RSA}}

|score=96–13

|report=[http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/match/23428.html Report]

|team2={{ru|WAL}}

|try1=Rossouw (3)
Montgomery (2)
Terblanche (2)
Venter (2)
Van der Westhuizen
Otto
Smith
Erasmus
Skinstad
Hendricks

|con1=Montgomery (9)

|pen1=Montgomery

|try2=A. Thomas

|con2=A. Thomas

|pen2=A. Thomas (2)

|stadium=Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

|attendance=33,633

|referee=Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

}}

style="width:100%"
style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"|

{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"

width="25"|width="25"|
FB15Percy Montgomery
RW14Stefan Terblanche{{suboff|47}}
OC13André Snyman
IC12Pieter Muller{{suboff|40}}
LW11Pieter Rossouw
FH10Franco Smith
SH9Joost van der Westhuizen{{suboff|45}}
N88André Venter
OF7Gary Teichmann{{suboff|58}}
BF6Rassie Erasmus
RL5Mark Andrews{{suboff|55}}
LL4Krynauw Otto
TP3Adrian Garvey{{suboff|66}}
HK2James Dalton{{suboff|60}}
LP1Robbi Kempson
colspan="3"|Replacements:
WG16McNeil Hendricks{{subon|47}}
CE17Henry Honiball{{subon|40}}
SH18Werner Swanepoel{{subon|45}}
N819Andrew Aitken{{subon|58}}
FL20Bobby Skinstad{{subon|55}}
PR21Ollie le Roux{{subon|66}}
HK22Naka Drotské{{subon|60}}
colspan="3"|Coach:
colspan="3"|{{flagicon|RSA}} Nick Mallett

|style="vertical-align:top"|

|style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"|

cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:auto"
width="25"|width="25"|
FB15Byron Hayward{{suboff|48}}
RW14Dafydd James
OC13Mark Taylor
IC12John Funnell{{suboff|50}}
LW11Garan Evans
FH10Arwel Thomas
SH9Paul John{{suboff|79}}
N88Kingsley Jones{{suboff|40}}
OF7Colin Charvis{{suboff|73}}
BF6Nathan Thomas
RL5Andy Moore
LL4Ian Gough
TP3John Davies{{suboff|60}}
HK2Barry Williams{{suboff|66}}
LP1Mike Griffiths
colspan="3"|Replacements:
FB16Darril Williams{{subon|48}}
FH17Stephen Jones{{subon|50}}
SH18David Llewellyn{{subon|79}}
FL19Geraint Lewis{{subon|73}}
LK20Chris Wyatt{{subon|40}}
PR21Darren Morris{{subon|60}}
HK22Garin Jenkins{{subon|66}}
colspan="3"|Coach:
colspan="3"|{{flagicon|WAL}} Dennis John

|}

References

{{reflist}}

  • {{cite book |editor-first=Mick |editor-last=Cleary |title=Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1999-00 |year=1999 |publisher=Headline |isbn=0-7472-7531-9 }}

{{Wales national rugby union team}}

{{Rugby union tours of South Africa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wales}}

Category:1998 rugby union tours

Category:1997–98 in Welsh rugby union

1998

Category:1998 in South African rugby union

1998

1998

Category:1998 in African rugby union

rugby union

Category:History of rugby union matches between South Africa and Wales