19-07-2025
Rugby-Scrappy Springboks overwhelm Georgia 55-10 in Nelspruit
(Reuters) -Debutant hooker Marnus van der Merwe scored two tries as South Africa eased to a 55-10 victory over Georgia in Nelspruit on Saturday, but the scoreline masked an error-strewn performance.
Prop Boan Venter, centre Canan Moodie, wings Edwill van der Merwe (two) and Kurt-Lee Arendse, fullback Damian Willemse and flyhalf Handre Pollard also crossed for tries.
But the Springboks served up double-digit handling errors, were poor at the lineout in the second half and could not get the upper hand at the breakdown.
Though coach Rassie Erasmus will not look back with much fondness on the performance, it was minutes in the tank at the start of the international season for several players, including captain Siya Kolisi on his return from injury.
The hosts had three debutants in Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche as Erasmus stretched the number of players he has used in three games this year to 46.
Georgia made a fast start and scored the opening try from a driving maul following a line-out, with hooker Vano Karkadze powering his way over.
The Springboks hit back after a period of pressure in the Georgia 22 resulted in Venter diving over a ruck to score, before an attacking lineout lead to a driving maul that sliced through the Georgian defence for Van der Merwe to cross.
A sweeping Springboks move from their own half following a break by scrumhalf Grant Williams led to a try for Moodie and Van der Merwe got his second from another driving maul as Georgia could not defend against their forward power as the hosts led 22-10 at halftime.
They added a simple try for Edwill van der Merwe after his forwards created the space and sucked in Georgia defenders, and Willemse went over in the opposite corner.
When Edwill van der Merwe crossed for the final score, he took his tally of international tries to five in three games, before Arendse and Pollard dotted down late on.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
