Did a pitch invader cost Wales victory in Springbok Test? 'You don't want to see that'

Did a pitch invader cost Wales victory in their Test match against the Springboks in Cardiff on Saturday?

Many Welsh fans think so. 

The incident in question happened in the 63rd minute of what was a tight Test from start to finish. With the scores locked at 15-15, Wales had manufactured some space down the left as they entered the Springbok 22m area. 

The ball found its way to replacement backliner Liam Williams, who had space ahead but was clearly distracted by a spectator lying on the turf in front of him. 

The timing of the incident meant that the pitch invader was being tackled to the ground by security just as Williams was looking to gather the ball and accelerate towards the line.

Instead, he was wrapped up by the Springbok cover defence before losing the ball, as Dan Biggar kicked over the resulting penalty from the penalty advantage. 

The Boks hit back, though, and showed impressive character to use their rolling maul to score the only try of the game and secure a famous 23-18 victory. 

Wales coach Wayne Pivac was not making any excuses after the Test, but he did acknowledge that the incident was not what you want to see in Test rugby.

"We just saw a two 2 v 1 situation forming up ... you don't want to see that in a game," he said.

"We were very disappointed that it happened, but there was nothing the match officials could do about that."

It is impossible to know, of course, if Wales would have gone on to score that all-important try if it wasn't for the pitch invader, and Pivac said as much when asked. 

"I don't know," he conceded. 

"At the time we thought we had a one-man advantage. I haven't had a chance to speak to the players about whether they might have been distracted, but the match officials have to just deal with that in the way they did."

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, meanwhile, also praised the stadium management for dealing with the situation swiftly.