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Van der Merwe hat-trick and Horn audition headline 12-try Springbok rout of Barbarians
Edwill van der Merwe scored a hat-trick and Sacha Horn caught the eye at flyhalf as the Springboks ran in 12 tries against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, though the visitors' five-try haul and a 35-26 halftime scoreline highlighted defensive and disciplinary concerns for Rassie Erasmus.
Springboks open 2026 campaign with 80-31 demolition of Barbarians in Port Elizabeth
The Springboks opened their 2026 international season with an 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Port Elizabeth, scoring 12 tries including a hat-trick from Edwill van der Merwe and a debut try for 20-year-old lock Riley Norton.
Norton shines, Horn struggles, and discipline wobbles — five takeaways from the Boks' Barbarians romp
Five takeaways from the Boks' 80-31 win over the Barbarians — Norton impresses at lock, Horn's flyhalf experiment underwines, midfield defence raises questions, and the first-choice back row looks ready for England.
Springboks host Barbarians in Nelson Mandela Bay with five uncapped players in the mix
South Africa take on the Barbarians at Nelson Mandela Bay with five uncapped players — Riley Norton, Carlu Sadie, JJ Kotze, Paul de Villiers and Vusi Moyo — in the matchday 23.
Springboks open 2026 with 80-31 demolition of Barbarians in Gqeberha
The Springboks opened their 2026 international season with an 80-31 win over the Barbarians in Gqeberha, with Edwill van der Merwe grabbing a hat-trick and Cheslin Kolbe kicking 10 conversions in a 12-try haul.
Springboks run in 12 tries in 80-31 demolition of Barbarians in Gqeberha
The Springboks ran in 12 tries to beat the Barbarians 80-31 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
Van der Merwe hat-trick headlines entertaining Springbok victory over Barbarians
Edwill van der Merwe scored three tries as the Springboks opened their 2026 international campaign with an 80-31 victory over the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday. The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium witnessed a high-scoring first half before the world champions pulled clear in the closing stages, running in 12 tries in total against a more competitive Barbarians side than last season's corresponding fixture.
Springboks open 2026 campaign with 80-31 victory over Barbarians in Gqeberha
The Springboks beat the Barbarians 80-31 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to open their 2026 international campaign, with Edwill van der Merwe scoring a hat-trick and Riley Norton marking his debut with a try in a 12-try performance.
Ratings: Edwill bags a hat-trick, Norton impresses on debut, and Kolbe is Kolbe
A full player-by-player breakdown of the Barbarians win — Van der Merwe and the loose trio lead the way, Norton's debut earns glowing marks, and the Horn fly-half experiment gets a cautious green light.
Van der Merwe hat-trick powers Boks past Barbarians in Gqeberha
A van der Merwe hat-trick drove the Springboks to a commanding victory over the Barbarians in Gqeberha.
SA A ratings v Zimbabwe: Am the standout, a future 50-cap Bok, and a red card that's a learning curve
Planet Rugby rates the SA A squad after a 40-0 win over Zimbabwe — Am leads by example, a 20-year-old hooker is tipped as a future Bok stalwart, and Ahmed's red card is the main cautionary note.
Am makes steady return as SA A whitewash Zimbabwe in Gqeberha showcase
Lukhanyo Am featured for South Africa A in their 40-0 victory over Zimbabwe at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, marking his first appearance in national colours since November 2024. The two-time World Cup winner provided a steadying influence in midfield alongside teenage sensation Markus Muller, though the occasion was marred by a red card for flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed. Am's selection signals his intent to force his way back into Rassie Erasmus's plans after missing the entire 2025 international season through injury.
Ahmed red card clouds SA A's 40-0 whitewash of Zimbabwe
SA A beat Zimbabwe 40-0 in Gqeberha, but a red card for Junior Boks flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed — who could face a ban that affects his Junior World Championship participation — overshadowed a six-try performance.
SA 'A' run in six tries to blank Zimbabwe 40–0 in Gqeberha
South Africa 'A' beat Zimbabwe 40–0 in Gqeberha, scoring six tries in a performance headlined by several members of the 2025 Junior Bok squad, despite carrying a 20-minute red card for most of the second half.
SA 'A' run in six tries to blank Zimbabwe 40–0 in Gqeberha
SA 'A' beat Zimbabwe 40–0 in Gqeberha, scoring six tries in a performance dominated by graduates of the Junior Bok programme, including Haashim Pead, Yaqeen Ahmed and Markus Müller.
SA 'A' backline shines in 40-0 demolition of Zimbabwe
Fortune's ratings from the 40-0 win over Zimbabwe read as a Bok squad audition — Jaco Williams topped the charts at 9/10, Giliomee impressed at 15, and Ahmed dazzled before a red card ended his night, while the forwards delivered a patchy but functional showing.
SA 'A' backline shines in 40-0 demolition of Zimbabwe
Fortune's player-by-player breakdown of SA 'A''s 40-0 win over Zimbabwe highlights a dominant backline performance — Williams and Giliomee lead the ratings — while flagging set-piece concerns up front and a red card for Ahmed as the main talking points.
SA 'A' run in six tries to blank Zimbabwe Sables 40-0 in Gqeberha
South Africa 'A' beat Zimbabwe 40-0 in Gqeberha, crossing for six tries despite Yaqeen Ahmed receiving a 20-minute red card in the second half. Ruben van Heerden took the match award.
Springboks host Barbarians in Nelson Mandela Bay with five uncapped players in squad
South Africa face the Barbarians at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, with Junior Bok captain Riley Norton and prop Carlu Sadie among five uncapped players in the matchday squad.
Pollard and Le Roux endure nightmare as Bulls suffer fourth URC Final defeat
The Bulls' 36-7 capitulation to Leinster at Croke Park marked their fourth consecutive URC Final defeat, with World Cup winners Handré Pollard and Willie le Roux delivering performances well below their usual standards. Two yellow cards for deliberate knock-ons and a series of uncharacteristic handling errors left the Pretoria side chasing shadows as Leinster secured back-to-back titles. The margin of defeat was established within the opening half-hour, raising questions about whether the Bulls had left their best performance at Murrayfield a fortnight earlier.