throughout the tour; and Roos' cordial manner had paid dividends earlier in the tour after the game against Newport. South Africa beat Newport by a goal and a try to nil, and after the game the two team captains sat down at the Westgate Hotel for a post-match dinner. Roos asked Charlie Pritchard, the Newport skipper, how the Newport forwards, who were lighter than the South Africans, had stolen the ball away so many times in the scrums. The tactic, which the Welsh team had used to counter the famous New Zealand scrum, was discussed with great openness between Pritchard and Roos, and when the South Africans left the next day Roos shook Pritchard's hand at the train station and thanked him. This revelation became a controversial talking point when the Welsh press heard of it. The match against Wales was set for 1 December 1906, and was played at St. Helen's Ground in Swansea. Wales selected a strong team, with Teddy Morgan and Johnnie Williams on the wings, and captained by talismanic three-quarter Gwyn Nicholls, who had come out of retirement to lead the Welsh. Roos started the match with heavy strapping to protect an injured shoulder, and several of his team were suffering from coughs and sore throats brought on by the British winter weather. Although the Welsh started at a fast pace, the South Africans soon began to launch their own attacks and the firm surface of the St. Helen's pitch played to the Springbok's strengths. Wales under performed throughout the game, and the Springbok tactic to tightly mark Nicholls and Rhys Gabe at centre prevented the pair's normal open game. South Africa scored three tries without reply, dominating the game 11–0. At the final whistle the South African supporters, assisted by Welsh fans, rushed onto the pitch and carried Roos from the field. Roos later stated that 'he considered it to be the greatest honour of his life to be borne triumphant from the ground by supporters of his beaten opponents'. A week later the South Africans faced England at Crystal Palace and Roos was fit enough to lead his team out against international opposition for the third time. Conditions for the match were poor; the pitch resembled a morass and a drizzle that began half an hour before the kick off continued throughout the game. After 20 minutes the ball was extremely difficult to handle