South Africa was predictably slow to get going in its first test in nearly two years before the world champion stretched away in the second half to beat Georgia 40-9 on Friday in a warm-up for the British and Irish Lions series.
The Springboks trailed 9-5 after 35 minutes in Pretoria but two tries in two minutes just before halftime gave them momentum straight after Georgia flanker Beka Saghinadze was sent to the sin-bin.
From there, rugby’s top-ranked team found forward dominance and scored three tries in each half for an ultimately comfortable win. It was a satisfactory first hit out since winning the Rugby World Cup final in Japan in the Boks’ last match way back in November 2019.
Those 20 months without test rugby because of the coronavirus pandemic showed early at Loftus Versfeld where the Springboks misjudged the kickoff, gave away a penalty in the first scrum, and struggled to get it together as Georgia made their tackles, competed at the breakdown, and made life tough.
Georgia flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadze kicked three early penalties and although Springboks wing Aphelele Fassi sped down the left touchline to score with his first touch in international rugby in the fourth minute, the Georgians were ahead for most of the first half.
It turned when Abzhandadze was punished for Georgia’s persistent infringing near its line.
South Africa hooker Bongi Mbonambi barreled over from a lineout maul after that penalty and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach added another try straight after when Georgia’s defense misjudged a kick through and it sat up for Reinach to collect and race clear.
There were second-half tries for No. 8 Kwagga Smith and replacements Herschel Jantjies and Malcolm Marx to ensure Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber had a win in his first test in charge despite being appointed more than a year ago.
South Africa plays a second test against Georgia in Johannesburg next Friday before three tests against the touring British and Irish Lions starting this month.
