The China Mail - Debutant Tshituka scores twice as Springboks crush BaaBaas

Hooker Malcolm Marx, winger Cheslin Kolbe, prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels, winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, lock Lood de Jager and centre Damian de Allende were the other try scorers for the Springboks.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted two of the three first-half tries before his replacement, Manie Libbok, added the extra points to all five second-half scores.

Full-back Melvyn Jaminet claimed the lone try for the Barbarians and converted it in a non-cap exhibition match at Cape Town Stadium.

Record four-time Rugby World Cup winners South Africa were ahead within six minutes through a pushover Marx try, led 19-0 by half-time and were in control throughout.

It did not help the Barbarians' cause that loose forward Lachlan Boshier was sin-binned soon after coming off the bench in the second half after a head-to-head clash with Arendse.

During his 10-minute absence, the world champions scored two of their eight tries through Arendse and De Jager, who impressed on his recall after a two-year absence due to illness and injuries.

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus pledged before the match that his team would treat the match as a Test.

The Springboks fulfilled the promise with a structured, limited-risk performance, and man-of-the-match award winner Kolbe and De Jager will be among those satisfied with their form.

Renowned for ball-in-hand play, the Barbarians rarely got a chance to demonstrate their skills, but held their own at scrum time against opponents famed for their set-piece work.

Among those supporting the Springboks were cricketers Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada, two stars of the World Test Championship triumph final by South Africa over Australia this month.

It was a first victory for South Africa over the Barbarians since winning by 10 points in Cardiff 25 years ago.

South Africa play the first of 13 Tests this season against Italy at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on July 5.

K.Lam--ThChM