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Despite not being at their best the Springboks overwhelmed the Barbarians 54-7 in their season opener in Cape Town.
Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in action during their season opening game against the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday night. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
Stand-in Springbok captain Jesse Kriel heaped praise on the intensity of the team’s training camp in Johannesburg, that set the foundation for their thumping 54-7 season-opening win over the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday night.
The Boks weren’t even at their best, but easily dispatched the famed invitational side, chock full of experienced veterans, to get their 2025 international campaign off to a solid start.
Kriel, who was handed the captaincy reins on Friday after the Bok management decided not to risk playing Siya Kolisi who was nursing a stiff neck, explained that they were fully prepared, even for the poor weather conditions that they had to face during the match.
“I am unbelievably proud of the boys and the way we played the conditions. The rain was coming down pretty heavy at some stages, so I am really proud of the game drivers for keeping us in the right areas and the boys for playing the conditions so well,” said Kriel after the match.
“A lot of credit must go to the whole management staff and the work put into the alignment camps. With all the players scattered around the world, they help everyone be aligned when they come into (pre-season) camp. So we get straight to work.
“We had a great two weeks of prep up in Joburg. I think it’s some of the toughest training I’ve been through in a Springbok camp. So the boys really worked hard up in Joburg and I think it showed in the game.
“We got a few answers to what we wanted and I think we are looking good going into next week. Obviously we go back to the drawing board and start prepping for Italy.”
Pulled off plan
Utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who started at flyhalf in the game and put in an entertaining 44 minute showing before being replaced by Manie Libbok, said the team had pulled off their plan to perfection.
“It was great, there was a great atmosphere (in the stadium). We kind of stuck to what we wanted to do in terms of our structures, so it was a successful day,” explained Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
“It was a good match. It required some discipline to stick to our contestable kicking game and do our stuff. So it was a good experience, and they brought their traditional rugby, which was an awesome experience.”
Hulking Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye made his first appearance in the green and gold in the match, starting at tighthead, put in a solid shift during his 44 minutes on the field, and although it wasn’t an official Test cap, he still admitted that it had been a special week.
“It was very special. The whole week I’ve been thinking about how wearing a Springbok jersey is something I have wanted my whole life, so to be able to do that in Cape Town was very special. The guys didn’t put a lot of pressure on me and I was just able to focus on my job,” said Ntlabakanye.
