Late try spares Boks blushes as England lie in wait
A try by Rohan Janse van Rensburg three minutes from time ensured that South Africa rescued a draw against the Barbarians at Wembley. As a warm-up for their clash against England on Saturday it served its purpose, even if only three or four players from this XV are likely to start at Twickenham, although the balm of victory would have been greatly appreciated given their struggles in the Rugby Championship.
Defeat would have been mightily harsh on a Barbarians side of Super Rugby waifs and strays who scored a pair of tries through Andy Ellis and Luke Morahan that would sit comfortably in their glorious annals. Both originated through turnovers in their own 22 with the ball moved end to end at blistering speed and no little skill.
A lot of the South African tackling was weak and their breakdown work left much to be desired as they conceded an eye-watering 25 turnovers. Some players are nowhere near Test level, but they at least showed character to respond at 31-19 behind with Pat Lambie missing a conversion to win it.
“I think we do see it as a loss really,” Allister Coetzee, the coach, said. “But when you are 12 points behind with a young, inexperienced team it could easily have gone pear-shaped.”
It will also be of great relief that England possess no wide men of the gargantuan dimensions of Taqele Naiyaravoro who repeatedly victimised the Springbok backline. The Barbarians struck first through Melani Nanai, the livewire full-back from the Auckland Blues. Naiyaravoro had only just prevented from scoring in one corner and from the lineout the Barbarians worked the ball from left to right. Naiyaravoro, Robert Du Preez and others smashed their way over the gainline until the ball reached Nanai who handed off Jesse Kriel and Sergeal Petersen. It is understandable in the short timeframe that the Barbarians coaches have with players they have only just met, that certain elements will have to be condensed if not skipped, which appears to have been the case with maul defence. For the first South African try, the Barbarians chose not to defend the drive, so in the absence of any wouldbe tackler, Pieter-Steph Du Toit had a simple stroll over the line. They at least made a fist of defending the second Springboks try but flanker Roelof Smit still managed to break free of the maul without a finger being laid upon him.
If those tries very much fit the Springbok stereotype, then the Barbarians’ second try encapsulated their own glorious traditions. It originated with the Baa-Baas on the defensive after a barnstorming run by Teboho Mohoje, only for the Springboks to be turned over inside the 22. With no thought of kicking to safety, the ball was spun to right wing Matt Faddes, who had become the 5,000th player to represent the Baa-Baas. With a tackler coming across, Faddes chipped and gathered before offloading to Ellis who scooted over. End to end instantly.
Smit’s try brought the scores level but right on half-time, the Barbarians struck again in thrilling style. The rampaging Naiyaravoro yet again deposited Sergeal Petersen on his posterior and from there the Barbarians were in business. Nanai almost got free but was prevented from scoring by Venter holding on to his shorts, exposing his backside in doing so. Returning the ball to Naiyaravoro, there was no stopping him.
Still at least, Petersen was able to extract a measure of revenge on Naiyaravoro early in the second half as he shaped to pass with two men outside him. The Glasgow Warrior brought the dummy and Petersen held his line to go under the posts. Pat Lambie’s conversion put South Africa 19-17 ahead.
Back came the Barbarians in the only fashion they know how. Brad Shields started proceedings with a turnover inside his own 22 and Naiyaravoro was off to the races down the left hand touchline. Although Ulengo got back to scoop up Ellis’ kick-ahead, he only proceeded to give Naiyaravoro another chance to run it back this time bowling over No 8 Nizaam Carr. Quick hands from Jordan Taufua, Shields, Nanai put Morahan over in the corner.
Morahan quickly grabbed his second in the same corner latching on to Richard Buckman’s pass to put the Barbarians 12 points up. South Africa responded with a pair of rapier tries of their own, through Venter and Van Rensburg. Lambie converted the first but not a second, meaning the Killik Cup was shared. Coetzee now has five days to prepare for the real competition at Twickenham on Saturday.