Bok centre Jesse Kriel celebrates his try with team-mate Aphelele Fassi. Picture: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images
The Springboks beat Wales 41-13 in their season-opening Test at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon, with Rassie Erasmus’ side scoring five tries.
The Boks led 14-13 at the break but ran away with the match in the second period, with tries by Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi and Edwill van der Merwe. The first half try was scored by Jesse Kriel, in the third minute, before the Boks were also awarded a penalty try.
Below is how The Citizen reported on the match.
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The Bok team included only a handful of players who did duty in France at the World Cup last year as several players who are based in Europe were unavailable for the match as it was being played outside the international Test window.
However, all the Japan-based South Africans were in action. The side also included several new players, namely Van der Merwe and Jordan Hendrikse who were in the starting team and on the bench Ben-Jason Dixon and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
There were also recalls for Aphelele Fassi, Evan Roos, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Salmaan Moerat. Pieter-Steph du Toit captained the side.
The Boks dominated for the majority of the match, scoring early in both halves to lay the foundation for the two periods, though coach Rassie Erasmus will be a little worried about some aspects of the team’s play, particularly their discipline at times.
Overall, it was a good first outing for the year, with the scrum all powerful and the defence especially good.
Roos, Van der Merrwe and especially Fassi, who was outstanding under the high ball, enjoyed excellent games, and not far behind were the likes of Ox Nche, Franco Mostert, Du Toit and Kwagga Smith up front, and Jesse Kriel and Mapimpi at the back.
The Boks will now return home to start preparing for the two Test series against Ireland, on July 6 and 13.
Cameron Winnett, Liam Williams, Owen Watkin, Mason Grady, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Ellis Bevan, Aaron Wainwright, James Botham, Taine Plumtree, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, Keiron Assiratti, Dewi Lake (capt), Gareth Thomas. Bench: Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias, Harri O’Connor, James Ratti, Mackenzie Martin, Gareth Davies, Eddie James, Jacob Beetham
Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Faf de Klerk, Evan Roos, Pieter-Steph du Toit (c), Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Bench: Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Ben-Jason Dixon, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian de Allende
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