Springboks rout Barbarians despite wet Cape Town weather

THE Springboks started their season off in fine fashion, finding little effort to dispatch the Barbarians yesterday evening in Cape Town.

- LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

They scored eight tries en route to a 54-7 victory in a wet and windy DHL Stadium. Despite the weather, which didn’t always allow for an entertaining clash, especially in the first half, the Boks were full value for their first victory of 2025.

Flanker Vincent Tshituka led the scoring for the Springboks and picked up a double on debut in a match that he won’t forget. However, it was returning lock Lood de Jager who stole the show with a near-perfect performance. He last played almost two years ago in the Green and Gold, but on Saturday it definitely did not look that way.

The lock ruled the lineouts and had the Barbarians under real pressure in that department. He put his body on the line with some massive tackles and carries at the start. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a try in his return and capped off a brilliant match in tough conditions.