THE old adage of you can only beat what is in front of you rang true at Principality Stadium as Wales ended a chastening autumn on something of a high by beating a shambolic South Africa 27-13.

Tries by hooker Ken Owens and flanker Justin Tipuric secured the spoils but the Springboks were so shocking that one could argue there should be an asterisk next to the result.

They should have been put to the sword by Wales but instead it took a score by the Ospreys openside to wrap up the victory after Nizaam Carr had barged over to make it a seven-point game with 10 minutes left.

It was Wales’ biggest win against the South Africans, although they only had the 29-19 success in 1999 and the 12-6 slugfest of 2014 for competition.

The victory that means under-pressure caretaker coach Rob Howley can at least point to their record after they responded to their Australia hammering by edging out a tired Argentina, pickpocketing Japan and doing a job against a shocking Springboks.

However, the standard of Wales’ play still leaves so much to be desired; they may have the intent to play expansively but their execution and shape is frequently poor.

Even against horrendously poor opposition – if South Africa don’t buck up their ideas they will soon be given the Friday night slot in Cardiff usually reserved for Tonga or Canada or Fiji – they spluttered and there was murmuring from the stands, especially during the first half that saw six successful kicks and very little entertainment.

The Wales players and management will be the first to admit that they’ve got plenty of room for improvement before they get the Six Nations under way in Rome.

They may also be heading into that tournament without Dan Lydiate after the blindside suffered a horrible looking knee injury at the end of the first half. That blow is softened by the selection headache of fitting Sam Warburton, Ross Moriarty, Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric into the back row.

It was the last of those quartet who stood out, although it could be argued the other trio are more suitable against bigger beasts. Yes, bigger beasts than this South Africa.

It was the Springboks that started the sharper with an unusually enterprising approach rather than their typical forthright one, yet it was through their scrum that they opened the scoring with a penalty banged over by fly-half Elton Jantjies after eight minutes.

That score was swiftly cancelled out through the right boot of full-back Leigh Halfpenny when wing Ruan Combrinck was, rather harshly, adjudged to have knocked on deliberately going for an intercept.

Wales settled and set about stressing the Boks defence with wing George North notably getting involved off his flank.

Another penalty, this time for dragging down a lineout, rewarded that pressure for a 6-3 lead that became 9-3 after 21 minutes when Wales went from their territory to South Africa’s after a majestic jackal by loosehead Gethin Jenkins, the hosts’ attack stopped illegally at the breakdown.

It was a game dominated by infringments and fine kicking with Jantjies adding another three-pointer before Wales came close, Jonathan Davies put into space by midfield partner Scott Williams’ crisp spin pass only for covering lock Pieter-Steph du Toit to just bundle him into touch after initially being handed-off.

As expected, the clash wasn’t a slick, dazzling affair and it was once again the unerring right peg of Halfpenny that ticked the scoreboard along to 12-6 after 32 minutes.

That’s how it stayed as the teams headed to their changing rooms, but only 29 headed there of their own steam with Lydiate treated on the field and then stretchered off.

South Africa were relieved to be within a score but they were up against it after a sluggish start to the second half, giving away a penalty from the restart and then another from the move off the resulting lineout.

Fly-half Dan Biggar chipped over the top and gathered, then scrum-half Faf de Klerk slapped down his pass that was destined for scrum-half Gareth Davies. It cost three more points as well as 10 minutes down to 14 men.

And even though there were just 45 minutes on the clock it was game over when another penalty allowed Wales to move inside the 22 where hooker Ken Owens hit his man from the lineout before peeling off the back of the maul to crash over for 20-6.

Halfpenny made a mess of the conversion and that rather set the tone for the next 20 minutes or so, both sides doing little to thrill.

However, the missed extras proved to be vital when the Springboks battered their way over with 11 minutes left with flanker Uzair Cassiem crossing after a lineout drive. Lambie’s extras made it 20-13.

Thankfully any nerves were swiftly ended when Wales went on the attack, showing patience before Taulupe Faletau put fellow back row forward Justin Tipuric through a hole in midfield.

It was a classy moment that wasn’t exactly in keeping with the game, but at least the post mortem takes place after a win.

Wales: L Halfpenny, G North, J Davies, S Williams (J Roberts 78), Liam Williams (S Davies 58), D Biggar, G Davies, G Jenkins (captain, N Smith 66), K Owens (S Baldwin 59), T Francis (S Lee 67), L Charteris (C Hill 78), AW Jones, D Lydiate (T Faletau 40), J Tipuric, R Moriarty.

Scorers: tries – K Owens, J Tipuric; conversion – L Halfpenny; penalties – L Halfpenny (5)

South Africa: J Goosen, R Combrinck, F Venter, RJ van Rensburg (L Mapoe 68), J Ulengo, E Jantjies (P Lambie 58), F de Klerk, T Mtawarira (S Kitshoff 58), A Strauss (captain, M Marx 71), L Adriaanse (T Nyakane 68), P du Toit ( F Mostert 68), L de Jager, N Carr, U Cassiem, W Whiteley.

Scorers: try – U Cassiem; conversion – P Lambie; penalties – E Jantjies (2)

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Attendance: 55,122

Argus star man: Justin Tipuric