Smash hit

When Wales gave away a breakdown penalty three minutes later, South Africa completed a dream start with Pienaar punishing them from 40 metres to make it 10-0.

It took until 15 minutes into the game for Wales to mount their first cohesive move, with Powell barging his way over the gain-line from a scrum and Ian Evans and Adam Jones combining up the middle.

Powell then demonstrated his power and speed with a tremendous break at the end of the first quarter. The only problem was the men on his inside shoulder – Alun Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones – were not the speedsters he wanted to see there. With Stephen Jones missing a long-range penalty, Wales were struggling for a foothold, and despite Powell’s prodigious work-rate they were playing too much of their rugby in the wrong areas of the pitch.

They managed to get their first points just before the half-hour when debutant wing Leigh Halfpenny took over the kicking duties to trim the deficit to 10-3.

It was the South Africans who were in the driving seat, and seven minutes before the interval Pienaar made a break, only to spill the ball just before the line as he was clattered by Tom Shanklin and Halfpenny.

Pienaar did not come away empty-handed, however, kicking his second penalty four minutes from the interval to give the Springboks their 13-3 half-time lead.

In the second half they shut up shop to consign Wales to another narrow defeat, and the unenviable record of having beaten South Africa just once in 23 attempts.

LIONS WATCH

Gaining ground Andy Powell is a newcomer to international rugby but you have to wonder where he has been hiding after this outstanding debut. A ball-carrier of real power and incisiveness

Losing ground Gethin Jenkins, the Welsh loosehead, was unable to make a dent in John Smit, despite the Springbok captain having played almost his entire Test career at hooker

Star man: Ruan Pienaar (South Africa)

WALES: L Byrne (Scarlets); L Halfpenny (Blues), T Shanklin (Blues), J Roberts (Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets, J Hook (Ospreys) 51min), G Cooper (Gloucester, D Peel (Sale) 51min); G Jenkins (Blues), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), A W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys, I Gough (Ospreys) 65min), R Jones (Ospreys, capt), A Powell (Blues), M Williams (Blues).

SOUTH AFRICA: C Jantjes (WP); JP Pietersen (Sharks), A Jacobs (Sharks, F Steyn (Sharks) 59min), J de Villiers (WP, J Fourie (Golden Lions) 60min), B Habana (Bulls); R Pienaar (Sharks), F du Preez (Bulls, R Januarie (WP) 60min); B Mtawarira (Sharks, G Steenkamp (Bulls) 74min), B du Plessis (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks, capt, B Mujati (WP) 66min), B Botha (Bulls, A Bekker (WP) 41min), V Matfield (Bulls), S Burger (WP), P Spies (Bulls, R Kankowski (Sharks) 50min), J Smith (Free State)

Scorers: Wales: Pens: Halfpenny, Hook (4) South Africa: Tries:Jacobs 5, De Villiers 51Cons:Pienaar (2)Pens:Pienaar (2) Yellow card: S Africa:Fourie (61min)

Referee:A Rolland (Ireland) Attendance:74,119