Scrappy Springboks overwhelm Georgia in Mbombela

RNZ News

19-07-2025

South Africa's hooker Marnus van der Merwe prepares to dive across the line to score a try during the rugby international against Georgia at Mbombela Stadium on July 19, 2025.
Photo:
WIKUS DE WET
Debutant hooker Marnus van der Merwe scored two tries as South Africa eased to a 55-10 victory over Georgia in Nelspruit on Saturday, but the scoreline masked an error-strewn performance.
Prop Boan Venter, centre Canan Moodie, wings Edwill van der Merwe (two) and Kurt-Lee Arendse, fullback Damian Willemse and flyhalf Handre Pollard also crossed for tries.
But the Springboks served up double-digit handling errors, were poor at the lineout in the second half and could not get the upper hand at the breakdown.
It was minutes in the tank at the start of the international season for several players, including captain Siya Kolisi on his return from injury.
"Credit to the Georgians, physically they matched us most of the time. We struggled and at the breakdown, where they were quite dominant," Kolisi said.
"We did not do enough positives one after the other. We would do something good and then make a mistake, which slowed us down. Hopefully, we can fix that."
The hosts had three debutants in Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche as Erasmus stretched the number of players he has used in three games this year to 46.
Georgia made a fast start and scored the opening try from a driving maul following a lineout, with hooker Vano Karkadze powering his way over.
The Springboks hit back as Venter dived over a ruck to score, before an attacking lineout lead to a driving maul that sliced through the Georgian defence for Van der Merwe to cross.
A sweeping Springboks move from their own half following a break by scrumhalf Grant Williams led to a try for Moodie and hooker Van der Merwe got his second from another driving maul as the hosts led 22-10 at halftime.
They added a simple try for Edwill van der Merwe after his forwards created the space and sucked in Georgia defenders, and Willemse went over in the opposite corner.
When Edwill van der Merwe crossed for the final score, he took his tally of international tries to five in three games, before Arendse and Pollard dotted down late on.
"This was a great match for us to grow," Georgia flanker Luka Ivanishvili said. "It was my first time playing in this kind of atmosphere and these types of game are helping us to grow to the next World Cup (in 2027)."
-Reuters