The South African world champions scared themselves on Saturday in Pretoria, for their first match in front of their audience since their coronation in 2019 in Japan: led at half-time by Wales (18-3), abused, they ended up winning on the wire (32-29).
Full-back Damian Willemse scored a game-winning penalty after 80 minutes to secure South Africa a 32-29 win over ill-disciplined Wales in an up and down Test in an electric atmosphere at the Loftus Versfeld from Pretoria on Saturday.
The Springboks might have won by a bigger margin, but their lackluster play and kicking didn't live up to their status.
Their decision making in key phases of the game was unusually poor.
Hookers Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx and winger Cheslin Kolbe scored the other tries for the home side.