By Lucky Vince Pienaar
The outcome, of course, was never in doubt. The Springboks, we knew, were going to beat Portugal – but how they would do it presented some vital questions.
➤ Can Salmaan Moerat be the Springbok captain? Moerat has now captained teams at every level he has ever played at, and clearly the mantle of chief rests easily on his shoulders. To what extent his captaincy added to the Springboks’ excellent team performance, we will find out in the future, but the team had a calmness that can almost always be ascribed to a solid captain. Moerat’s name can be added to a long list of players who can captain the side.
➤ Was this Manie Libbok’s last chance in the green and gold? As always, Libbok was excellent in open play, but, as always, he failed with his kicking. Was this the last time we saw Libbok in the Springbok jersey? Perhaps.
➤ It doesn’t help Libbok’s cause that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had a brilliant match, distributing the ball beautifully and kicking five out of five kicks. However, the way Portugal’s Paiva dos Santos, on the way to the tryline, made Sacha look silly with a brilliant sidestep, will haunt Mngomezulu’s dreams for a long time to come.
➤ In the match against Ireland Kwagga Smith, willing workhorse that he is, showed that he should not be at eighth man, but cometh the moment, cometh the man. Phepsi Buthelezi is earmarked to follow in the footsteps of Siya Kolisi at flank, but don’t be surprised to see him in the number 8 jersey soon.
➤ Not all players delivered five star performances. Evan Roos, as he often does, appeared to be trying just a little too hard. The pass he flung out into the hands of Paiva dos Santos that lead to Portugal’s first try appeared just a little reckless.
➤ André Esterhuizen’s card it seems, should not even have been a yellow, let alone a red, but he will have to work on his tackle technique. The rules have changed and South Africa can’t afford centres who tackle anywhere near head high. Playing with 14 players (and sometimes 13 players) is no problem against Portugal but against, say, the All Blacks, it could cost the Springboks the match.
South Africa (10 tries) 64-21 (3 tries) Portugal
Springboks tries: Jan Hendrik Wessels, Phendulani Buthelezi, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Ben-Jason Dixon, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi (3), Quan Horn, Andre-Hugo Venter
Portugal tries: Jose Paiva dos Santos (2), Jose Madeira
Pictured above: Salmaan Moerat
Source: @paulvin_webster
