SA 'A' leave Namibia stranded

Error-strewn display asks more questions than it answers

South Africa 'A' demolished a Namibian Invitational selection 57-23 in Windhoek on Saturday. It was an overwhelming win in the end, but it was far from an inspiring performance by what is regarded as South Africa's second best team.

Ahead of the match the big news surrounded the enormous amoutn of injuries in the SA camp and in truth it left the team with a decidedly harried and even a rag-tag look about it.

Despite the presence of players such as discarded Springbok scrum-half Neil De Kock and winger Jorrie Muller, there were players who could not be regarded as potential Springboks - although some may be in the future.

Despite this, however, a number of the South African players would have felt they had a chance to put their hands up for the Boks with a solid display in Windhoek, but if that was the case then those players - excluding De Kock, lock Gerrie Britz and Muller - clearly didn't want it badly enough.

Namibia were always going to throw everything they had at the SA 'A' team and they left the visitors red-faced in the opening encounters, out-muscling them at the set-pieces, and destroying them at the breakdown.

The hosts were on the board first with a penalty by fly-half Morné Schreuder after the hosts put together a strong opening push that left the South Africans reeling under the pressure.

But the visitors - despite losing momentum on a number of occasion because of some appalling handling errors - soon began to get into the game.

Winger Eddie Fredericks came close in the sixth minute of the match after he chipped ahead and chased the ball down on the Namibian try-line, but the Bulls winger failed to hang onto the ball in the in-goal area.

The South Africans began to apply the pressure - camping on the Namibia try-line - but the hosts were far superior at the breakdown and they frequently snaffled the ball from underneath the noses of the bigger SA 'A' pack to relieve the pressure.

After the dismal display by the Springboks in this very area earlier in the week, Bok coach Jake White may need to have a few choice words with South Africa's Super 12 and Provincial coaches.

De Kock, however, finally put the South African team on the board when he broke from the base of the scrum, darted through the defence and went over for the try. It broke the deadlock and put the visitors on the front foot.

Fly-half Nel Fourie slotted the conversion with ease.

Three-minutes later a misjudgment by Namibian fullback Dewald Myburgh cost his team dearly as a flying Muller latched onto the loose ball and raced away to score. Fourie put the visitors further ahead with the conversion.

Namibia's discipline began to let them down as the referee blew them repeatedly for illegal tactics. Fourie slotted a penalty for good measure to put the SA 'A' team ahead 17-3.

But Schreuder answered with two of his own and the sides went into the break with the visitors leading 17-9.

The second-half was a far more enterprising one for the South Africans and De Kock - easily the best player for the South African team - put hooker Danie Coetzee over for a try shortly after the restart. Fourie continued to find the middle of the posts with the conversion.

Namibia, however, hit back through big No.8 Jacques Burger who smashed through the attempted tackle of SA 'A' flanker Solly Tyibilika for the try. Schreuder converted to leave the score hanging at 24-16.

But the visitors - perhaps spurred on by the memories of their last trip to Namibia - were determined to put the game out of reach for their hosts. Lock Gerrie Britz began the blitzkrieg with a try in the corner, which Fourie duly converted.

A second try to De Kock followed quickly and the South Africans then put together their best movement of the game to put replacement hooker Skipper Badenhorst into space and the try. The scoreline had soon ballooned in favour of the visitors and the result was wrapped up.

Muller ran in his second not long after and it was clear the Namibians were beginning to tire as the South Africans ran them ragged.

Tempers then began to flare on both sides - Danie Rossouw was issued with a yellow card in what was surely a case of mistaken identity - and the game soon lost its shape, but not before lock Albert van den Berg snatched a try for the Namibians.

But SA 'A' winger Eddie Fredericks had the final say of the game when he took advantage of the ragged Namibian defence to outstrip them down the touchline and then again in the midfield to score underneath the posts.

The scorers:

For South Africa 'A':
Tries: De Kock 2, Muller 2, Coetzee, Britz, Badenhorst, Fredericks
Cons: Fourie 7
Pen: Fourie

For Namibia Invitation XV:
Tries: Burger, Van den Berg
Cons: Schreuder 2
Pens: Schreuder 3

The teams:

SA 'A': 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Ettienne Botha, 11 Jorrie Muller, 10 Nel Fourie, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Pietie Ferreira, 7 Wikus van Heerden (captain), 6 Kabamba Floors, 5 Gerrie Britz, 4 Geo Cronjé, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Danie Coetzee, 1 Wessel Roux.
Replacements: 16 Skipper Badenhorst, 17 Christo Bezuidenhout, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Solly Tyibilika, 20 Michael Claassens, 21 Peter Grant, 22 Chumani Booi.

Namibia invitation XV: 15 Dewald Myburgh, 14 Deon Mouton, 13 Du Preez Grobler, 12 Corné Powell (captain), 11 Rian van Wyk, 10 Morné Schreuder, 9 Dave von Hoesslin (Sharks), 8 Jacques Burger, 7 Herman Lintvelt, 6 Schalk van der Merwe, 5 Albert van den Berg (Sharks), 4 Willem Stoltz (Lions), 3 Lawrence Sephaka (Lions), 2 Cor van Tonder, 1 Kees Lensing (Blue Bulls).
Replacements: 22 Leon van Wyk, 21 Robert Jearry, 20 Jood Opperman, 19 Rene Kruger, 18 Hendrik Meyer, 17 Neil Swanepoel, 16 Jurie van Tonder.