The 80-31 result flatters the scoreline's simplicity — there was enough in this one to keep Erasmus thinking ahead of the England clash. The first-half yellow card chaos saw the Boks concede 21 unanswered points and exposed real vulnerability in midfield, with Esterhuizen and Kriel repeatedly biting in and leaving space outside. The Kolisi-Du Toit-Wiese back row, however, looked sharp and purposeful, confirming they remain the first-choice unit while succession planning continues in the background.
The experimental selections produced a split verdict. Cheslin Kolbe was outstanding as makeshift goal-kicker, slotting nine conversions at well over 80 per cent — a role he's made his own in Japan. Quan Horn at flyhalf was a different story: creative in patches but tactically uncertain, positionally off and badly exposed in defence early on. The standout name for a different reason was lock Riley Norton — still uncapped at professional level for the Stormers, but his technical work at the coalface and physical willingness belied his age and drew genuine praise. The piece suggests he's already on the long-term Bok radar. TJ Perenara gets a separate mention for his combative but ultimately ill-disciplined showing for the Baa-Baas, with the referee drawing criticism for not clamping down harder.