The South African ‘A’ team came up short in their match against Munster in Cork on Thursday evening. Though they had ample opportunity to put points on the board, they had to settle for a 28-14 defeat.
The two-match series had been arranged to get Springbok up-and-comers on the field, in green and gold. An incredible opportunity to show Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber that they can make the step up to Test-level Rugby.
Unfortunately, conditions in the Irish Province didn’t allow for flashy play. However, the Bok hopefuls could still prove that they can stick to the structures put in place by SA ‘A’ head coach Mzwandile Stick and his team of coaches.
While there wasn’t much to write home about, the match had its moments. The fact that this SA ‘A’ team only had two practice sessions under their belt didn’t do much to help the cause.
Brilliant interview from Paddy Patterson after beating SA A 👏😂
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) November 11, 2022
Zas and Nortje prove their worth
The two standout performers on the night were Stormers wing, Leolin Zas and Bulls lock, Ruan Nortje.
Leolin on course for a Bok call up
One could confidently speculate that Saz would already have some exposure to the Springbok set-up, would it not be for an injury sustained in the latter part of the inaugural URC competition.
The 27-year-old spent a year on the sideline after breaking two bones in his leg for the Stormers in 2017. He limped off the field in his side’s URC semi-final against Ulster in June this year. He eventually had to undergo surgery on his ankle.
However, since returning to play, he picked up where he left off, and has been one of the standout performers for the Stormers since returning from injury.
Saz didn’t have many chances for the SA A team, but when he was involved in play, he made sure to make the Springbok selectors sit up and notice his power and vision.
Nortje, the fighter
The Hoërskool Wonderboom alum is two meters of pure muscle and another beefy lock that Jacques Nienaber can add to his stock of second-row giants.
Nortje might only be 24, but played with maturity in the colours of South Africa. He played a massive part in the SA ‘A’ engine room that won a majority of the scrum battles. Nortje also won a few crucial line-outs against the throw.
Slayers of internationals
Munster has a history of taking down international opponents. Probably the most famous is the Muster class of 2010. Two All Black players featured in the Irish clubs’ back-line, Sam Tuitupou, and Doug Howlett. They inspired a 15-6 win over Australia.
This Munster side, who was unchained on the South African up-and-comers, didn’t have the same level of international flair in their midst. However, they are just as, if not more, talented than the 2010 Munster outfit.
What added to their success was the capacity crowd at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, in its maiden presentation of a rugby match featuring Muster. A sell-out crowd of 41 400 was in attendance – the largest ever for a Rugby match in the Province.
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