One for the history books as the Boks run in eight tries

MATCH REPORT: The Springboks scored eight tries as they recorded a historical victory over the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday.

The 54-7 victory is the biggest winning margin the Springboks have ever recorded against the invitational side.

Two minutes into the game, the Springboks won the scrum penalty, and it was a great start for debutant Asenathi Ntlabankanye.

It took the hosts just five minutes to get over; it was the try machine, Malcolm Marx, who barged over for the Boks.

And who said it would be a kicking game in the rainy conditions? Four minutes later, Cheslin Kolbe showed the pace to follow up a kick by fullback Aphelele Fassi to dot down in the corner.

The Springboks were winning the set-pieces and mauls, handing them the upper hand in the territory game.

South Africa was awarded another set-piece penalty; they kicked for the corner, and the line-out followed.

They opted to pick and go, and Vincent Tshituka managed to control the ball and sneak over. Sacha Feinbergh-Mngomezulu banged it through to stretch the hosts’ lead to 19-0.

Finally, after half an hour, the Barbarians were in an attacking position, with a line-out on the 22 line, but the ball was smothered.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu found that touch and play was back to the middle line.

Errors were creeping into the game with players losing the ball, the willingness was there to work hard, but the execution was not always on point.

As the rain came pouring down again, handling was tough, and the Barbarians were spilling the ball in the line-out.

Ons gaan hawe toe 😏

Asenathi and Ox are not messing around 💥💥

📺 Stream #BARvRSA on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/TN00fEacou

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 28, 2025

Jean-Luc du Preez went down just before halftime. Initially, it looked like an injury, but the replay showed he had taken an accidental knock to the head from his own man, Lood de Jager.

He went off for an HIA to be examined and replaced by Kwagga Smith at No. 8.

It was a mixed first half for the Springboks in their first match of the season.

They were sloppy in attack with a few handling errors, but defensively, they were impeccable.

Their scrum was good, as was the lineout with De Jager pinching two on Baa-Baas’ ball.

They were comfortably ahead of the invitational side at the break.

The second half got underway as the rain was still pelting down and the Barbarians had an uphill battle ahead.

Four minutes into the second half, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus sent his bomb squad into the fray.

They made the impact, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels powered over from close range on the pick and go.

Moments later, the Boks were on the front foot again after a brilliant break by captain Jesse Kriel.

The ball was dropped, a scrum was reset, Franco Mostert almost got over the whitewash, followed by another scrum. But it was all something for nothing as the ball was turned over.

A yellow was handed to Lachlan Boshier for a high tackle, and the Boks were still turning the screws, battling it out in the Barbarian’s 22.

The fifth try eventually came (Kurt-Lee Arendse) and was soon to be followed by their sixth (Lood de Jager), both converted, stretching their lead to 40-0.

Thanks for a great game @Barbarian_FC, we hope you had a good time in South Africa, we’d love to see you back here soon 🤝#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #BARvRSA pic.twitter.com/U16INZYT3t

— Springboks (@Springboks) June 28, 2025

Finally, the Barbarian finished off a well-worked move as Melvyn Jaminet slipped the tackle and slid over the try-line.

They went wide to the right, a stunning no-look pass from Fainga’anuku to Jaminet, who dummied a pass, shrugged off a poor tackle from Arendse, and barreled over.

And what is a Springbok game without some Kolbe magic? Santiago Arata tried to go massive from a penalty with his kick to touch, but it was well kept deep in their own 22 by Libbok and Kolbe.

Kolbe then went on a darting run, slipped past one, two, three defenders down the right flank. He then kicked down the line and was taken out late, with the penalty taking the Boks into the 22 for a lineout.

*To recap all the action, CLICK HERE

In the following move, the winger sat down Ricky Riccitelli with a brutal hand-off a metre out, and Tshituka got his second try.

With five minutes remaining, the weather was even worse.

The Springboks score their eighth and final try with a minute to spare, as they had a turnover.

It went through the hands, made it to De Allende, who sprinted in down the left flank.

Man of the Match: Cheslin Kolbe – the little magician was at his best again despite the terrible weather conditions, bobbing and weaving, scoring a tr,y and assisting with a few.

Scorers:

For the Springboks:
Tries: Marx, Kolbe, Tshituka 2, Wessels, Arendse, De Jager, De Allende
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2, Libbok 5

For the Barbarians:
Tries: Jaminet
Cons: Jaminet

Yellow card: Lachlan Boshier (Barbarians, 53’, head clash)

Teams

Barbarians: 15 Melvyn Jaminet, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 11 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkins, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 David Ribbans, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Camille Chat, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Hassane Kolingar, 18 Will Collier, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Hoskins Sotutu, 21 Santiago Arata, 22 Joe Marchant, 23 Lachlan Boshier

South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen.

Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison and Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Egon Seconds