Opinion | South Africa A team prove their mettle
When I described Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu as the best scoring rugby player I had ever seen, it was considered to be hyperbolic, at least until he scored 37 points against Argentina. Allow me, therefore, to predict that Siyaya will become a record-breaking try scorer as he drifts, glides and runs around defenders.
The Boks tryfest over the very willing Barbarians, as well as the young lions who constituted the South Africa A team — so named to restrict their possible defection to other countries — overcame a very courageous Zimbabwe, playing in jerseys which closely resembled the old Rhodesian hoops, worn by Danny Delport and others.
Taken together the two games amounted to two trial games for the Bok squad, to face England, Scotland and Wales in July.
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Typically, trial games are fast but loose affairs, designed to separate the men from the boys, with respect to international rugby.
Quite remarkably I thought that everyone in the SA A team passed the test with none looking out of their depth.
It is, therefore, a little invidious to single out a few.
Flyhalf Yaqueen Ahmed, a small flyhalf, and Markus Muller, a very strongly built centre, are clearly talented enough.
The only negative was in fact the most unfortunate injury — he was accidentally kicked in the head by a team-mate — to the dazzling Zekhethelo Siyaya, who had literally come within inches of scoring three tries in the opening ten minutes of the game.
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When I described Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu as the best scoring rugby player I had ever seen, it was considered to be hyperbolic, at least until he scored 37 points against Argentina.
Allow me, therefore, to predict that Siyaya will become a record-breaking try scorer as he drifts, glides and runs around defenders. He is quick but does not rely on sidestepping.
He almost defies description as he has a unique ability to avoid defenders. He hails from the far north in KZN, so maybe it is in the water which is bottled there.
Had he not been concussed he may well have scored five or six tries, but his time will come and so will record breaking tries. He is a diamond ready to sparkle and bedazzle.
Speaking of scoring multiple tries, Edwill van der Merwe scored a brace and surely staked a claim. Imagine, it’s easy if you try, a wing good enough to replace Arendse on the wing.
Such is the abundance of talent in our new country, as distinct from the old school.
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Furthermore, we now have a wing who takes place kicks, with Cheslin Kolbe slotting them nonchalantly, thus paving the way for Manie Libbok, who sprays conversion kicks like a shotgun, to don the number ten jersey, given that Handré Pollard seems to have aged quite considerably in terms of his kicking and passing
It is high time that Willie Le Roux bows out gracefully and refrains from harassing referees.
Other notables were the battering ram runs by Jasper Wiese, the energy of Siya Kolisi, and the all around competence of Riley Norton, while Ntuthuko Mchunu is knocking firmly on the door.
Elsewhere, the Bulls with their outdated subdue and penetrate game plan, ran into the proverbial brick wall as Leinster alias Ireland knew exactly what was coming.
It matters not who is coaching the Bulls. Heyneke Meyer, Jake White and now Johan Ackermann, sing from the same sheet.
As Victor Matfield said “it’s in our DNA”. It is outdated and dumbfounding: how do you expect to win when your opponents win and retain no less than 62% to your 38% crumbs?
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Clearly, the fact that Makazole Mapimpi scored the first ever Bok try in a World Cup final in Tokyo, and the fact that Lukhanyo Am’s sublime through the hands pass to Mapimpi set it up, clearly goes right over their heads.
I will refrain from predicting who is in or out of the squads Dr Rassie Erasmus will be naming, as he continues to build depth in every position, and to get test caps in to players, ahead of the 2027 rugby world cup.
These interim squads do not, therefore, constitute the best team.
The squad to face the haka in August will no doubt be quite different, so easier to find the July winner!.
