1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa

Series of rugby union matches

1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa

Coach(es)| Dennis John
Tour captain(s)| Rob Howley
Summary| | P|  W|  D|  L

|
|
|

Total| | 06|  01|  00|  05

|
|
|

Test match| | 02|  01|  00|  01

|
|
|

Opponent| | P|  W|  D|  L

|
|
|

Zimbabwe| | 1|  1|  0|  0

|
|
|

South Africa| | 1|  0|  0|  1

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|
|

Tour chronology
Previous tour| 1997 North America
Next tour| 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.[1] Prior to the tour, 18 players from Wales made themselves unavailable to participate, while a further 8 picked up injuries during the tour.[2]

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,[3] and remains so as of 2024[update].

## Squad

[edit]

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[4] 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.

Name  | Position  | Club  | Notes

|
|
|

Garin Jenkins | Hooker | Swansea |
Barry Williams | Hooker | Richmond |
John Davies | Prop | Richmond |
Ben Evans | Prop | Neath |
Mike Griffiths | Prop | Pontypridd |
Darren Morris | Prop | Neath |
Paul Arnold | Lock | Swansea |
Ian Gough | Lock | Newport |
Andy Moore | Lock | Swansea |
Chris Stephens | Lock | Bridgend | Injury replacement for Mark Jones
Chris Wyatt | Lock | Llanelli |
Rob Appleyard | Back row | Swansea | Withdrew due to injury
Colin Charvis | Back row | Swansea |
Kingsley Jones | Back row | Ebbw Vale | Injury replacement for Rob Appleyard
Mark Jones | Back row | Ebbw Vale | Withdrew due to injury
Geraint Lewis | Back row | Pontypridd | Injury replacement for Scott Quinnell
Scott Quinnell | Back row | Richmond | Withdrew due to injury
Dean Thomas | Back row | Swansea | Injury replacement for Martyn Williams
Nathan Thomas | Back row | Bath |
Martyn Williams | Back row | Pontypridd | Withdrew due to injury
Rob Howley | Scrum-half | Cardiff | Captain
Paul John | Scrum-half | Pontypridd |
David Llewellyn | Scrum-half | Ebbw Vale | Injury cover for Rob Howley
Stephen Jones | Fly-half | Llanelli | Injury replacement for Wayne Proctor
Byron Hayward | Fly-half | Ebbw Vale |
Arwel Thomas | Fly-half | Swansea |
Leigh Davies | Centre | Cardiff |
Geraint Evans | Centre | Neath | Injury replacement for David Weatherley
John Funnell | Centre | Ebbw Vale |
Mark Taylor | Centre | Swansea |
Garan Evans | Wing | Llanelli |
Dafydd James | Wing | Pontypridd |
Wayne Proctor | Wing | Llanelli | Withdrew due to injury
Richard Rees | Wing | Swansea |
Lenny Woodard | Wing | Ebbw Vale |
David Weatherley | Full-back | Swansea | Withdrew due to injury
Darril Williams | Full-back | Llanelli |

## Matches

[edit]

Date  | Venue  | Home  | Score  | Away  | Source

|
|
|
|
|

6 June 1998  | National Sports Stadium, Harare  | Zimbabwe | 11–49  |  Wales | [5]
12 June 1998  | Secunda Stadium, Secunda | Emerging Springboks | 35–13  |  Wales |
16 June 1998  | Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London | Border Bulldogs | 24–8  |  Wales |
19 June 1998  | Kings Park Stadium, Durban | Natal Sharks | 30–23  |  Wales | [6]
23 June 1998  | Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark | Gauteng Falcons | 39–37  |  Wales | [7]
27 June 1998  | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  | South Africa | 96–13  |  Wales | [8]

### Zimbabwe vs Wales

[edit]

6 June 1998

Zimbabwe | 11–49|  Wales

|
|

Try: Bekker
Pen: Tsimba (2)| Report| Try: Hayward (3)
Rees (2)
A. Thomas (2)
Proctor
Con: A. Thomas (3)
Pen: A. Thomas
National Sports Stadium, Harare
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Johnnie Meuwesen (Namibia)

|  |

|

FB | 15 | Victor Olonga
RW | 14 | G. Campbell
OC | 13 | John Ewing
IC | 12 | Brendan French
LW | 11 | R. Karimazondo |  |  49'
FH | 10 | Kennedy Tsimba |  |  60'
SH | 9 | Ryan Bekker |  |  70'
N8 | 8 | Brendon Dawson (c)
OF | 7 | Mordekai Mwerenga |  |  30'
BF | 6 | Leon Greeff
RL | 5 | Shaun Landman
LL | 4 | Brenton Catterall
TP | 3 | Graham Stewart
HK | 2 | Wayne Barratt |  |  72'
LP | 1 | Gary Snyder
Replacements:
FL |  | C. McNab |  |  30'
WG |  | Dave Walters |  |  49'
FB |  | Doug Trivella |  |  60'
SH |  | Neill Nortje |  |  70'
HK |  | Ian Neilson |  |  72'
Coach:
Alex Nicholls
|  |  |

|

FB | 15 | David Weatherley |  |  31'
RW | 14 | Richard Rees
OC | 13 | Mark Taylor |  |  27'
IC | 12 | Dafydd James
LW | 11 | Wayne Proctor
FH | 10 | Arwel Thomas
SH | 9 | Rob Howley (c) |  |  78'
N8 | 8 | Scott Quinnell |  |  56'
OF | 7 | Martyn Williams
BF | 6 | Nathan Thomas
RL | 5 | Andy Moore
LL | 4 | Mark Jones |  |  71'
TP | 3 | John Davies
HK | 2 | Garin Jenkins |  |  56'
LP | 1 | Darren Morris
Replacements:
CE | 16 | John Funnell |  |  27'
FB | 17 | Byron Hayward |  |  31'
SH | 18 | Paul John |  |  78'
HK | 19 | Barry Williams |  |  56'
PR | 20 | Mike Griffiths
LK | 21 | Chris Wyatt |  |  71'
FL | 22 | Colin Charvis |  |  56'
Coach:
Dennis John

### Emerging Springboks vs Wales

[edit]

12 June 1998

Emerging Springboks | 35–13|  Wales

|
|

Try: Daniels (3)
Fleck
L. Venter
Con: Koen (2)
Pen: Koen (2)| | Try: James
Con: Hayward
Pen: Hayward (2)
Secunda Stadium, Secunda
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (Natal)

### Border Bulldogs vs Wales

[edit]

16 June 1998

Border Bulldogs| 24–8|  Wales

|
|

Try: Heidtmann
Van der Walt
Con: Bradbrook
Pen: Bradbrook (4)| | Try: Rees
Pen: A. Thomas
Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London
Referee: Tappe Henning (Northern Transvaal)

### Natal Sharks vs Wales

[edit]

19 June 1998

Natal Sharks| 30–23|  Wales

|
|

Try: Brink (3)
Joubert
Con: Joubert (2)
Pen: Joubert (2)| | Try: A. Thomas
Hayward
Con: A. Thomas (2)
Pen: A. Thomas (3)
Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Referee: André Watson (Eastern Transvaal)

### Gauteng Falcons vs Wales

[edit]

23 June 1998

Gauteng Falcons| 39–37|  Wales

|
|

Try: Geyer (2)
Strydom
Lourens
Moyle
Booysen
Con: Van Straaten (2)
Van As
Pen: Van Straaten| | Try: Funnell
Arnold
Woodard
Taylor
Con: Hayward (4)
Pen: Hayward (3)
Isak Steyl Stadium, Vanderbijlpark
Referee: Carl Spannenberg (Western Province)

### South Africa vs Wales

[edit]

27 June 1998

South Africa | 96–13|  Wales

|
|

Try: Rossouw (3)
Montgomery (2)
Terblanche (2)
Venter (2)
Van der Westhuizen
Otto
Smith
Erasmus
Skinstad
Hendricks
Con: Montgomery (9)
Pen: Montgomery| Report| Try: A. Thomas
Con: A. Thomas
Pen: A. Thomas (2)
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Attendance: 33,633
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)

|  |

|

FB | 15 | Percy Montgomery
RW | 14 | Stefan Terblanche |  |  47'
OC | 13 | André Snyman
IC | 12 | Pieter Muller |  |  40'
LW | 11 | Pieter Rossouw
FH | 10 | Franco Smith
SH | 9 | Joost van der Westhuizen |  |  45'
N8 | 8 | André Venter
OF | 7 | Gary Teichmann (c) |  |  58'
BF | 6 | Rassie Erasmus
RL | 5 | Mark Andrews |  |  55'
LL | 4 | Krynauw Otto
TP | 3 | Adrian Garvey |  |  66'
HK | 2 | James Dalton |  |  60'
LP | 1 | Robbi Kempson
Replacements:
WG | 16 | McNeil Hendricks |  |  47'
CE | 17 | Henry Honiball |  |  40'
SH | 18 | Werner Swanepoel |  |  45'
N8 | 19 | Andrew Aitken |  |  58'
FL | 20 | Bobby Skinstad |  |  55'
PR | 21 | Ollie le Roux |  |  66'
HK | 22 | Naka Drotské |  |  60'
Coach:
Nick Mallett
|  |  |

|

FB | 15 | Byron Hayward |  |  48'
RW | 14 | Dafydd James
OC | 13 | Mark Taylor
IC | 12 | John Funnell |  |  50'
LW | 11 | Garan Evans
FH | 10 | Arwel Thomas
SH | 9 | Paul John |  |  79'
N8 | 8 | Kingsley Jones (c) |  |  40'
OF | 7 | Colin Charvis |  |  73'
BF | 6 | Nathan Thomas
RL | 5 | Andy Moore
LL | 4 | Ian Gough
TP | 3 | John Davies |  |  60'
HK | 2 | Barry Williams |  |  66'
LP | 1 | Mike Griffiths
Replacements:
FB | 16 | Darril Williams |  |  48'
FH | 17 | Stephen Jones |  |  50'
SH | 18 | David Llewellyn |  |  79'
FL | 19 | Geraint Lewis |  |  73'
LK | 20 | Chris Wyatt |  |  40'
PR | 21 | Darren Morris |  |  60'
HK | 22 | Garin Jenkins |  |  66'
Coach:
Dennis John

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Howell, Andy (20 June 2014). "'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". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
2. ^ Orders, Mark (1 April 2020). "The day fuming Colin Charvis turned on his own Wales team-mates". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
3. ^ Godwin, Hugh (27 June 1998). "Rugby Union: Blackest day for the Welsh". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
4. ^ Hewett, Chris (21 May 1998). "Rugby Union: Wales call on John for the short term". The Independent. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
5. ^ Godwin, Hugh (6 June 1998). "Rugby Union: Hayward launches Wales' tour". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
6. ^ "Rugby Union: Joubert has final word as Natal ease past Wales". The Independent. 19 June 1998. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
7. ^ "Rugby Union: Thomas sent off as Wales succumb". The Independent. 23 June 1998. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
8. ^ Osterhuis, Mark (28 June 1998). "Rugby Union: Boks brand Wales as worst in history". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2020.

* Cleary, Mick, ed. (1999). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1999-00. Headline. ISBN 0-7472-7531-9.

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