Springboks thump tenacious Barbarians: five takeaways
· Citizen
Four unanswered tries in the final quarter saw the Springboks break away from the Barbarians and win their 17-try thriller 80-31 in Gqeberha on Saturday.
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As always, the fixture against the invitational side came with many unknowns and wildcards, and the Springbok management added to the intrigue by introducing five new players and mixing the roles up somewhat.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
Cheslin Kolbe the next Bok ace?
Cheslin Kolbe slotted nine out of his 11 conversion attempts (82% success rate) and scored a try to boot.
His performance raises questions about the preferred goal kicker in the side, after Handré Pollard had poor outings for the Bulls in their URC semi-final and final, and with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu out injured.
Kolbe was even preferred to SA U20 star Vusi Moyo after the youngster came on in the 53rd minute. Moyo was only entrusted with the final conversion, which he nailed.
Kolbe kicked for his Japanese team, Tokyo Sungoliath, this season, racking up 26 penalties and 45 conversions. He only slotted eight kicks for his country before this game.
Barbarians put up a fight
The Barbarians turned in a far better performance than they did last year, where they were whipped 54-7.
A different-looking, more exciting team with a stellar backline, the invitational side asked serious questions of the Boks around their scrums, lineouts and defence – questions Rassie Erasmus and his assistant coaches might be grateful were raised now rather than later.
They fought from 35-7 down to 40-26, where the score remained for much of the game until the Bok bench helped the hosts extend their lead.
Coach Scott Robertson will be proud of his charges.
Van der Merwe hat-trick
Springbok wing Edwill van der Merwe was more than just at the right place at the right time.
He used his blistering pace and ability to find gaps and beat defenders to score two tries on the sideline and what would have been his hat-trick when he outpaced the star-studded Barbarians backline to the try line. The score was disallowed, however.
His third try finally came in the second half after Elliot Dee earned a yellow card.
Different players shine
Springbok coaches will feel their decision to field new players, and players with different roles, was vindicated when Lions fullback Quan Horn made some great carries at flyhalf, while Kolbe rewarded the faith shown in him to take conversions.
While the Springbok lineout did not always function perfectly, SA U20 captain Riley Norton also produced a performance he would be proud of, with a try to boot.
The new front row combination of Ox Nché, Andre-Hugo Venter and Carlu Sadie were strong at the scrum. Their replacements, JJ Kotze, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Zachary Porthen did not enjoy the same success in set-piece. But Kotze and Porthen scored tries.
Discipline costs the teams
Both sides will rue ill-discipline.
The Springboks scored three tries while Barbarians captain TJ Perenara (high tackle) and eighthman Miracle Faiilagi (playing the scrumhalf) were in the sin bin.
Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams’ yellow card for a deliberate knock-on was similarly punished when the Barbarians scored three tries while he was off.
In the second-half, Aphelele Fassi’s high tackle earned him a yellow card and disallowed what would have been Van der Merwe’s third try for the Springboks.
The Bok wing went over in the second half after Barbarians hooker Elliot Dee copped a yellow.