Wales ended their long, frustrating wait for victory over a southern hemisphere heavyweight when Leigh Halfpenny kicked them to victory over South Africa.

Welsh celebrations were at odds with Springbok gloom. Among the World Cup favourites when they return to these shores next year, captain and centre Jean de Villiers suffered a serious leg injury coming up to the hour mark.

"I thought Wales played well and were the better team," South Africa's head coach Heyneke Meyer said. "We normally build momentum in the last 20 minutes, but there were two big turning points. We lost our captain and got a yellow card."

It was later confirmed de Villiers had suffered a dislocated kneecap when he fell awkwardly after a tackle by Wales No 8 Toby Faletau.

It was only a second win for Wales in 28 games against the big three of New Zealand, Australia and the Springboks, and the first over South Africa since 1999, having lost their last 16 before yesterday.

Wales came agonsingly close to beating the Springboks in June, a late converted penalty try condemning them to a 31-30 defeat in Nelspruit.

In a dress-rehearsal for a possible World Cup quarter-final next year if both progress from the pool stage, Pat Lambie landed two penalties for the tired-looking Springboks, who were also beaten on tour by Ireland and Wales, and won against England and Italy.

"I thought our fitness was excellent. There are still things we have to work on, but we got the win and we desperately needed it," said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

"We should have won by more. We've pushed the big three pretty close in this campaign. We couldn't get across the line for two of those games, but we've done it today."

After the disappointment of last week's defeat by New Zealand when Wales led going into the last 15 minutes, only to capitulate to the world champions, victory was met with rapture at the Millennium Stadium.

As Land Of My Fathers echoed around the ground, the Welsh players embraced and raised their hands in triumph before later taking a lap of honour. After a series of near misses against the big guns, the fact that the win came with little flair will matter not to Gatland, who became accustomed to being asked why his side could not quite get over the line against the world's best.

This time they did despite late South African pressure. Halfpenny kicked four out of five penalties for the Welsh who carried the greater attacking threat throughout a scrappy, physical affair in which try-scoring chances were few and far between.

Wales: Pens: Halfpenny 4.

South Africa: Pens: Lambie 2.

Wales: Halfpenny, Cuthbert, J. Davies, Roberts, L. Williams,

Biggar, Webb, Jenkins, Baldwin, Lee, Ball, A. Jones, Lydiate,

Warburton, Faletau. Replacements: S. Williams for Halfpenny (67).

South Africa: le Roux, Hendricks, Serfontein, de Villiers,

Mvovo, Lambie, Reinach, Mtawarira, B. du Plessis, Oosthuizen, Etzebeth, Matfield, Coetzee, Mohoje, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Hougaard for Lambie (58), Nyakane for Mtawarira (54), Strauss for B. du Plessis (58), Redelinghuys for Oosthuizen (70), de Jager for Etzebeth (69), Carr for Mohoje (54). Sin-bin: Hendricks (62).

Att: 58,235

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland).