CARDIFF - FIVE-try South Africa began their reign as world champions with a convincing 34-12 victory over Wales in a rousing and fully-committed test match at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The Springboks, featuring nine of the team who beat England in the World Cup final a month ago, produced an efficient display with touches of quality to give departing coach Jake White a satisfying send-off in his last full international.

Two tries for centre Jacque Fourie and one each for flanker Juan Smith, winger JP Pietersen and debutant number eight Ryan Kankowski were a fair reward for the Springboks' dominance.

The atmosphere in the two-thirds full Millennium Stadium was a little flat in the build-up for this one-off test but caught fire after a rousing minute's applause for Welsh British Lion Ray Gravell, who died last month at the age of 56.

South Africa captain John Smit got things moving with a storming run to set up Smith for the first try after 20 minutes and 12 minutes later the game was all but over with the Boks leading 22-0 after two further scores by Fourie.

Charvis record
Fourie's first came after a penetrating kick by winger Bryan Habana, which caught out the Welsh defence as they pushed up in anticipation of a run from the world player of the year.

The next was a classic as Schalk Burger collected from a lineout and set up a sharp combination with Pietersen that opened a huge hole which Fourie duly charged through.

During that spell, Wales had a penalty in front of the posts from the 22 which James Hook somehow dragged wide, bringing a groan from the home fans no doubt recalling his similar shocker during the World Cup defeat by Fiji that knocked them out before the quarter-finals.

Wales finally got on the scoreboard in the last minute of the first half when Stoddart chipped ahead but was held up just short.

Flanker Colin Charvis, 35 next month and playing his 94th international, was the first to arrive and barrelled over for his 22nd try, a record for a forward in internationals, taking him clear of Italy's Carlo Checchinato.

Charvis was the game's only survivor from the 1999 meeting with the Springboks to inaugurate the Millennium Stadium when Wales claimed their only win from the sides' 20 matches.

Any hopes of a second win, however, disappeared within four minutes of the restart when Smit's flat pass gave Habana the chance to show his speed and the winger scythed through before popping the ball outside to Pietersen for the fourth try.

Lock Albert van den Berg then came on as a replacement for Bakkies Botha and lasted all of a minute before being yellow carded.

During his absence Wales scored their second try as Stoddart marked an impressive debut by leaping high to gather Hook's clever kick.

That inspired the home side into their best period as the match turned feisty with a few fists flying but it was the Springboks who showed their clinical finishing when 21-year-old Kankowski burst through for their fifth try.

The Boks will sign off their victorious season against the Barbarians at Twickenham next Saturday. -- REUTERS

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