/ 26 June 1999

‘WALES NO WALK OVER’

FORMER All Black mentor and current Golden Lions head coach Laurie Mains has predicted a torrid time for South Africa in their rugby Test against Wales at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. “I think Wales will be a real wake-up call for South Africa,” Mains said in Johannesburg on Thursday. “I’m not saying South Africa won’t win, but they’ve had two useless games against Italy. They will find it extremely tough up front.” Mains’ thinks the Springboks could struggle up front — after their vulnerablity in the tour to Britain and Ireland at the end of last year and while they dominated Italy in their 2-0 series on home soil, the Azzurri were hardly serious opposition.