In a last-minute effort to give all the players a chance to show what they are capable of before the Test Series against the British & Irish Lions, South Africa "A" faced the Vodacom Bulls in the Cape Town Stadium. Vodacom Bulls deservedly won the messy game with 17-14.
A game that did not live up to the expectations. The Vodacom Bulls could have won this match with a bigger margin if it was not for their own mistakes. The South Africa "A" players did not do their chance to be selected for the B&I Lions tast any good, I hope.
11:04 Aphelele Fassi scored the SA "A" team's first try of the match. The SA "A" side dominated play for the first 10 minutes of the match setting up camp in the Bulls 22m, (09-00).
17:24 Wandisile Simelane received a yellow card after they conceded several yellow cards during the last few minutes.
20:00 The SA "A" side dominated the first 12 minutes of play, however, thereafter the Bulls took over and set up camp in the SA "A" side's 22m.
37:54 Wandisile Simelane scored SA "A"'s second try of the match, (14-00).
40:00 The match lost most of its structure in the second quarter of the match. The Vodacom Bulls are guilty of not being clinical on the attack, squandering several scoring opportunities as they dominated territory and possession in the 1st half.
60:00 Both side's unable to add any points to the scoreboard. The lineouts of both sides are also full of mistakes. Unfortunately, the match not living up to the expectations.
65:33 Keagan Johannes scored the Bulls try after a brilliant gap taken by Johan Goosen, (14-07).
67:34 Johan Grobbelaar scored the Bulls second try after a movement which started in the Bulls' own 22m. Brilliant handling by several Bulls players with Goosen again influential, (14-14).
75:18 Chris Smith converted a penalty to put the Bulls in the lead for the first time of the match, (14-17).
Scorers:
South Africa "A": Tries: Aphelele Fassi, Wandisile Simelane. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalty: Chris Smith.
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Keagan Johannes, Johan Grobbelaar. Conversions: Johan Goosen (2).
South Africa ‘A’: 15. Aphelele Fassi, 14. Yaw Penxe, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Rosko Specman, 10. Elton Jantjies (captain), 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Kwagga Smith, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 6. Marco van Staden, 5. Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 4. Jean-Luc du Preez, 3. Vincent Koch, 2. Joseph Dweba, 1. Coenie Oosthuizen. Replacements: 16. Fez Mbatha, 17. Thomas du Toit, 18. Wilco Louw, 19. Jasper Wiese, 20. Sanele Nohamba, 21. Sbu Nkosi, 22. Jesse Kriel, 23. Damian Willemse, 24. Lizo Gqoboka.
Vodacom Bulls: 15. FC du Plessis, 14. Marco Jansen van Vuren, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Cornal Hendricks, 11. Stravino Jacobs, 10. Johan Goosen, 9. Zak Burger, 8. WJ Steenkamp, 7. Muller Uys, 6. Nizaam Carr (Capt), 5. Ruan Nortje, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 3. Jacques van Rooyen, 2. Schalk Erasmus, 1. Simphiwe Matanzima. Replacements: 16. Johan Grobbelaar, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Mornay Smith, 19. Janko Swanepoel, 20. Arno Botha, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Chris Smith, 23. David Kriel, Jan-Hendrik Wessels.