The Springboks lead the Barbarians by 19-0 at the break of their Qatar Airways Cup clash on a wet and cold Saturday afternoon at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
The Boks scored three tries in the first half as both teams struggled with the slippery ball, but the South Africans enjoyed more possession and took the points when on offer.
Malcolm Marx scored first, from a lineout maul, before Cheslin Kolbe dotted down after a deft chip from Aphelele Fassi. Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu converted the second try to make it 12-0 after 10 minutes.
It took another 14 minutes before Vincent Tshituka, on debut for the Boks, added his name to the score sheet with a classic pick and drive try, also converted by Feinberg Mngomezulu.
The Springboks head into halftime with a narrow lead over the Barbarians in a rain-soaked clash at Cape Town Stadium. Slippery conditions have made handling difficult, disrupting both teams’ attacking rhythm. Despite the downpour, the Boks have shown more control in the territorial battle and have capitalized on a few Barbarians handling errors to edge ahead. Tries have been hard to come by, with much of the game spent in the trenches as forwards from both sides battle for dominance in the wet.
The Cape Town crowd, though dampened by the weather, has remained vocal and energetic as the Springboks’ physicality begins to wear down the flamboyant Barbarians outfit. Expect a tighter, scrappier second half unless the skies clear — and even then, the sodden pitch may keep the game grounded.
