The Springbok Women beat the USA 34-21 at Ellis Park on Saturday, a devastating first-half display of five tries in 40 minutes effectively ending the contest before the interval.
Ayanda Malinga opened in the sixth minute, finishing off a break from Vainah Ubisi, with Jakkie Cilliers converting. Unam Tose crossed in the 12th minute and Babalwa Latsha added a third midway through the half as the Bok Women camped relentlessly in USA territory. Logan Welman then scored twice in the final ten minutes of the half — both from attacking scrums — to send the home side in 29-0 at the break.
Ubisi extended the lead to 34-0 almost immediately after the restart, finishing off a sustained period of pressure.
The USA eventually found some momentum, with Freda Tafuna, Ashley Cowdrey and Elizabeth Cook all crossing in the second half, Annabella Vogel converting all three to make it 34-21. The recovery, though, owed as much to unforced South African errors as to any sustained USA pressure, and the Bok Women under Swys de Bruin held firm to seal the result.
Scorers — Springbok Women 34: Tries: Malinga, Tose, Latsha, Welman (2), Ubisi. Conversions: Cilliers (2). USA Women 21: Tries: Tafuna, Cowdrey, Cook. Conversions: Vogel (3).