1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa

The 1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa was a series of matches played in June 1998 in Zimbabwe and South Africa by Wales national rugby union team.

1998 Wales rugby union tour of Africa
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

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 South Africa. 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,[1] and remains so as of 2023.

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.[2] Prior to the tour, 18 players from Wales made themselves unavailable to participate, while a further 8 picked up injuries during the tour.[3]

Results

Scores and results list Wales's points tally first.

Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueStatusRef
Zimbabwe49116 June 1998HarareTest Match[4]
Emerging Springboks133512 June 1998SecundaTour match
Vodacom Border Bulldogs82416 June 1998East LondonTour match
Natal Sharks233019 June 1998DurbanTour match[5]
Falcons373923 June 1998VanderbijlparkTour match[6]
South Africa139627 June 1998Loftus Versfeld, PretoriaTest Match[7]

References
  1. 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.
  2. Howell, Andy (20 June 2014). "The inside story of South Africa 96 -13 Wales...through the eyes of those who were there". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  3. Orders, Mark (1 April 2020). "The day fuming Colin Charvis turned on his own Wales team-mates". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  4. 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.
  5. "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.
  6. "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.
  7. 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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