Springboks down Georgia during a thrilling encounter in Mbombela

TimesLIVE

3 days ago

This performance by the Springboks only touched the edges of the realm of rout but to be fair it was more about the route they pursued to this year's Rugby Championship for the defending champions.
There was much tinkering in selection with 46 players chosen across four matches and as a result continuity and cohesion was sacrificed at the altar of squad depth.
The mixing and matching will be reduced in the two home Tests against Australia as head coach Rassie Erasmus fine tunes his selections ahead to their most pressing engagement of the year against the All Blacks in Auckland.
In Georgia they had opponents full of fight and fervour but the Springboks gradually sapped their energy from their fired-up tourists.
With the game gradually loosening there were times the Springboks were overzealous in the way they expressed themselves in attack but by then they had earned the right through the toil of their forwards.
There were times they dazzled but first they had to meet the challenge of the Georgians head-on.
Damian Willemse is back like he never left 😤🏉
Watch the match live on #SSRugby (Ch.211) and SS Grandstand (Ch.201) in three language options 🎙️🏉
📺 Stream #RSAvGEO on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/fhyMLF3GDb
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025
The visitors were on a crusade to leave their mark as decreed by their tough-as-teak coach Richard Cockerill.
There was much bellicose talk from Cockerill in the build-up to the clash with the combative former England hooker suggesting physicality is in the Georgian DNA.
Indeed, the tourists were full of effort and endeavour in the opening half hour. When flyhalf Luka Matkava slotted a penalty in the 29th minute the Lelos, ranked 11th in the world, were just five points adrift from the back-to-back Rugby World Cup holders.
Eventually though the star quality of the hosts shone through as the Lelos struggled to keep up with the lung busting pace of the game.
Centre Canan Moodie and wing Edwill van der Merwe revelled in the space and time afforded them, while in tighter confines lock Ruan Nortje was a Trojan as he splendidly rose to the challenge.
In the second half substitute lock RG Snyman freed his arms as the Boks transitioned seamlessly from defence to attack.
Debutant front rankers Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche were tasked with quelling a Georgian scrumming vanguard and they did so effortlessly.
No.8 Cobus Wiese stepped into the breach for his banned brother Jasper and there were times he lacked finesse. His job however was to bring punch to the Bok carries and dead weight to their first line of defence.
Edwill van der Merwe's strike rate in International rugby 🏉💥
Watch the Springboks live on #SSRugby (Ch.211) and SS Grandstand (Ch.201) in three language options 🎙️🏉
📺 Stream #RSAvGEO on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/zbrgGw4QZp
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025
Georgia drew first blood when they made the most of a penalty they hoofed into touch. From the ensuing line-out their maul reaped the rewards much in the way Italy did in the recent series against the Boks.
The Boks felt the need for an urgent and telling riposte. They climbed into the rucks and mauls with fervour but they were initially met with robust defence.
The hosts' surfeit possession however meant the dam wall could only take so much. Eventually the Boks burrowed their way over after a concerted build-up with debutant loose head Venter applying the finishing touches near the uprights. Inexplicably Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's conversion attempt hit the right upright from close range.
It wasn't just Mngomezulu's kicking that was loose and he made way for Handre Pollard in the 55th minute. It helped raise the flags.
After Venter's first try the Boks kept cranking up the heat up front with Nortje and Pieter-Steph du Toit becoming more influential in the hosts' carries.
You can't hold Canan Moodie back 😤🇿🇦
📺 Stream #RSAvGEO on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/lHzXS8Mbyp
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 19, 2025
Hooker Van der Merwe joined his fellow debutant on the score sheet when he barged over after an attacking line-out and he scored again soon after.
The game became looser with Georgia richly contributing to the unfolding spectacle.
The Boks showed the sharp end of their attacking prowess when Aphelele Fassi, Grant Williams, Van der Merwe all carried with gusto before Nortje's delightful vignette found a momentum fuelled Moodie who rounded off the game's most thrilling passage in the 18th minute.
As thrilling as that was, it is unlikely to compare with what awaits in the Rugby Championship.
SOUTH AFRICA (22) 55 - Tries: Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe (2), Canan Moodie, Edwill van der Merwe (2), Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Handre Pollard. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Handre Pollard (4).