WALES have finally ended their wait for the scalp of a southern hemisphere big gun after edging out South Africa 12-6 in a tense Test at the Millennium Stadium.

After 22 failures on the spin to the big three, Warren Gatland’s men deservedly triumphed six years to the day after their victory against Australia.

Wales finally got over the line thanks to four Leigh Halfpenny penalties, beating the Springboks for just the second time.

It wasn’t without drama and they could so easily have been enduring another sob story despite bossing the tense but poor and tryless game.

They didn’t grasp their opportunities and one feared there was going to be yet more heartbreak when Scott Williams dropped the ball over the dead ball line to gift the Springboks an attacking five-metre scrum in the closing stages.

But Wales shunted the visitors back to cause replacement scrum-half Francois Hougaard to go into a panic, Taulupe Faletau to snaffle the ball and Dan Biggar to clear.

Whereas New Zealand had been clinical in the final stages of their 36-14 win, woeful South Africa were shoddy but the majority of the 58,235 crowd won’t be bothered by that.

After being on the wrong end of so many defeats in thrillers it was a relief to enjoy a victory in a stinker in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.

Wales made a bright start and earned a penalty that Halfpenny booted between the sticks in the third minute only for opposite number Pat Lambie to respond with a beautifully struck effort after 10 minutes.

Halfpenny clipped the left post with a 14th minute penalty and the Springboks were lucky to avoid a spell down to 14 men when lock Eben Etzebeth caught Biggar in the air as the fly-half claimed an up and under.

It was a game in need of a spark with both sides hindered by a high error count, although the hosts were enjoying the territorial advantage.

Wales even tried the all-in lineout five metres out in a bid to break through but the Boks stood firm twice with lock Victor Matfield perilously close to snaffling position on the second attempt.

The South Africans nearly made Wales pay twice around the half-hour mark. Lambie missed a kickable penalty before Etzebeth burst through the tackles of Dan Lydiate and Samson Lee only to spill the ball inside the 22 after a crunching hit by last man Halfpenny.

The tourists ended the half on top but Wales stood firm and it was 3-3 after 40 minutes of uninspiring fare.

The pattern continued in the second half but there were few complaints when a pair of Halfpenny penalties to one by Lambie earned the hosts a 9-6 lead with 28 minutes to go.

And a sensational scrum stretched Wales to a 12-6 advantage as the final quarter approached with the Springboks hit hard by a serious-looking knee injury to talisman Jean de Villiers.

The lead was a precarious one but home hopes were helped when South Africa wing Cornal Hendricks was yellow-carded for taking Halfpenny out in the air, seemingly a harsh call given the earlier Etzebeth decision.

Wales went for the kill and it took some tenacious defence by the 14 Springboks to keep their line in tact with quarter of an hour remaining after centre Jonathan Davies burst into the 22.

They had another golden opportunity when Willie le Roux – who defence coach Shaun Edwards had called their “main torturer” in the June Test series defeat in South Africa – knocked on gathering Biggar’s drop goal daisy-cutter.

However, the Boks turned over the five-metre scrum to clear their lines, ensuring a tense finale with the hosts failing to stay cool under pressure when a drop goal would seal the deal.

Thankfully it didn’t prove to be costly.

Wales: L Halfpenny (S Williams 66), A Cuthbert, J Davies, J Roberts, L Williams, D Biggar, R Webb, G Jenkins (A Jarvis 74), S Baldwin, S Lee, J Ball, A W Jones, D Lydiate, S Warburton (captain), T Faletau.

Scorers: penalties – L Halfpenny (4)

South Africa: W le Roux, C Hendricks, J Serfontein, J de Villiers (captain, D de Allende 57), L Mvovo, P Lambie (H Pollard 57), C Reinach (F Hougaard 61), T Mtawarira (T Nyakane 53), B du Plessis (A Strauss 57), C Oosthuizen (J Redelinghuys 70), E Etzebeth, V Matfield, C Coetzee, T Mohoje (N Carr 53), D Vermeulen.

Scorers: penalties – P Lambie (2)

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Attendance: 58,235