South Africa 41-13 Wales: Red Dragons fall to SEVENTH consecutive Test loss ahead of Australia tour... as Warren Gatland insists the 'door is open' for furious Ospreys star Sam Parry to return

  • South Africa inflicted a seventh straight Test defeat on Warren Gatland's Wales 
  • Twickenham, so full of green shirts, resembled a home game for the Springboks
  • Gatland has left the door open for furious Ospreys star Sam Parry to return 

Warren Gatland claimed the 'door is still open' to unhappy hooker Sam Parry and fiercely denied he had 'disrespected' the Ospreys star.

The head coach came out fighting after suggestions he had treated Parry unfairly after watching his Red Dragons fall to their seventh successive Test loss.

The Wales boss was in belligerent mood on the back of Ospreys star Parry withdrawing the training squad for yesterday's match and three-Test tour of Australia.


Parry, 32, departed from the training camp at the start of the week after learning he had only been called up to help the squad prepare and was not in contention for a place.

But Gatland insisted: 'There was certainly no disrespect shown towards him. We were disappointed he left and surprised. We had been very clear in talks with him what we wanted and expected from him when he came into the training camp. You would have to ask him what the problem was but as far as I am concerned it was all clear.

Wales fell to a seventh consecutive Test loss as South Africa beat them 41-13 at Twickenham

Wales fell to a seventh consecutive Test loss as South Africa beat them 41-13 at Twickenham

Twickenham felt more like a home game for the Springboks as they were so many green shirts

Twickenham felt more like a home game for the Springboks as they were so many green shirts

'My door is always open in terms of having a discussion with any players if they have any feelings or need anything clarified. I would never close a door on a player and it is still open to him in terms of future selection.'

Gatland saw the world champions overcome his fresh-faced outfit with five tries in a 'home' Test for the Springboks at Twickenham.

The Springboks ran in five tries having been given a real fight by Wales until they came on strong in the second half to win comfortably.

With so many sections of the stadium filled with green jerseys compared to red ones, Twickenham resembled the Loftus Versfeld Stadium with a vociferous South African support.

Faf de Klerk and his team-mates were expected to make short work of a Welsh team lacking in confidence following a bad spell of results and very inexperienced at Test level.

But they were hardly at their best in the opening half and only managed to carve out a 14-13 lead at the break.

That was despite centre Jesse Kriel racing across for the opening try within three minutes after exchanging passes with wing Makazole Mapimpi.

Sam Costlow replied with a penalty but Wales had wing Rio Dyer sent to the sin bin for foul play in a desperate effort to stop a South African try on his own line.

Warren Gatland insisted the 'door is open' to Sam Parry to speak with him and make a return

Warren Gatland insisted the 'door is open' to Sam Parry to speak with him and make a return 

Parry has left the Wales squad ahead of their Australian tour due to feeling 'disrespected'

Parry has left the Wales squad ahead of their Australian tour due to feeling 'disrespected'

Wales were reduced to 13 men when no8 Aaron Wainwright was shown a yellow card for collapsing a Springbok maul. Again it was desperate and illegal defending and South Africa were awarded a penalty try.

It all looked to be going wrong until the Springboks suddenly lost their discipline. They had wing Aphelele Fassi sin-binned for foul play and Wales took advantage with hooker Dewi Lake forcing his way over in the left corner.

Costelow followed his conversion with a penalty and Wales were within a point at half-time.

It merely stunned the Springboks into life at the start of the second half with first Mapimpi showing his pace to finish off a move down the left, and then Kriel crossing to complete his brace of tries. Jordan Hendrickse kicked a penalty as South Africa began to pull away.

Replacement hooker Bongi Mbonambi crashed over from close range and wing Edwill van der Merve raced across for the final try from considerably further out.

Gatland, whose side now prepare to fly to Australia, insisted: 'I was especially pleased with the way we reacted to going behind so early and the boys did very well to bounce back. The first half was very even. There were a few refereeing decisions that were not too obvious to me that went against us.'

Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus, whose team host the touring Irish in a fortnight, insisted: 'We were not at our best in that first-half but I was very pleased with the guys after that. We were more clinical and accurate in the second half.'