As warm-ups go, this was red hot as the Springboks and Barbarians combined to deliver a 17-try festival of enterprising rugby in which 111 points were scored.
There was scarcely time to breathe as the Boks rattled up 80 points and the BaaBaas responded with 31 of their own.
In the middle of the frenzy was Cheslin Kolbe. He is the Springbok gift that keeps on giving — he kicked immaculately for posts, played scrumhalf as well as wing, and scored a nifty try.
It took just four minutes for the Springboks to get on the board. There was efficient phase play until Siya Kolisi — lurking in a wide channel — sent Edwill van der Merwe unmarked to the corner flag.
Remarkably, Kolbe booted the conversion over from the touchline, but, bizarrely, turned from the kick and collided with a cameraman to cut his forehead.
The Barbarians soon showed that they were not in South Africa simply to enjoy Cape Town’s convivial hospitality — they were there to play, with centre Alex Nankivell running through flyhalf Quan Horn and offloading to his muscular midfield partner, Virimi Vakatawa, who powered to the try line.
The Boks surged back, and it was Pieter-Steph du Toit who wriggled over near the posts.
And it got worse for the BaaBaas because in the build-up, captain TJ Perenara went into Riley Norton head high and was yellow carded.
He was soon joined in the bin by No 8 Miracle Fai’ilagi, reducing the visitors to 13 men.
The Boks immediately cashed in. First, Grant Williams exploited the shortage of defenders by throwing out a long pass to Van der Merwe for the easiest of dot-downs, and then Jasper Wiese, who had been charging forward from the first whistle, rampaged over.
Kolbe kicked all of the conversions to have the Boks 28-7 leaders after 20 minutes.
Norton was next to score after an excellent break by Horn.
The BaaBaas pulled seven points back when Pumas lock Franco Molina crashed over. And it was the Boks’ turn to lose a player to the sinbin — Grant Williams was caught slapping down a pass.
The BaaBaas were on a roll, and when Aphelele Fassi was caught in possession near his try-line after a clever kick by Perenara, the ball was accelerated out wide by Warrick Gelant to Andrew Kellaway, and the Wallaby wing coasted over.
And the lively Nelson Mandela Bay went quiet when flying Fijian Vakatawa broke from inside his half, and Perenara finished off.
But the Boks had the final say in the half through none other than Kolbe. The all-rounder fed a scrum near the Barbarians’ line, picked up the ball at the back of the scrum, and darted over.
It was a never-the-dull moment first half in which ten tries were scored and three yellow cards issued, with the Boks leading 40-26.
The second half began with a reprisal of Van der Merwe’s first try — Kolisi in a wide channel put Van der Merwe away, but it was cancelled because Fassi had recklessly charged Perenara head high in the build-up, and he went to the bin.
Coach Rassie Erasmus brought on the bench, and within seconds, Stormers hooker JJ Kotze scored off the back of a maul for a dream debut.
Sadly, there was yet another yellow card. In the 53rd minute, it was hooker Elliot Dee’s turn to be penalised for a high tackle that seemed to be a rugby incident.
Van der Merwe’s hat-trick — denied earlier — was a reality in the 56th minute when he scurried down the touchline for a 40m score.
The BaaBaas, urged on by the fiery Perenara, refused to surrender, and a series of impactful phases saw Kellaway saunter over for his second try.
That try was quickly undone when substitute flank Paul de Villiers made the running for a try by Faf de Klerk, who enjoyed a popular comeback with the crowd.
The Boks’ tenth try went to hard-running centre Jesse Kriel before Zach Porthen and Andre Esterhuizen had the final say.
Scorers
Springboks — Tries: Edwill van der Merwe (3), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Riley Norton, Jasper Wiese, Cheslin Kolbe, JJ Kotze, Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Zach Porthen. Conversions: Kolbe (9). Vusi Moyo.
Barbarians — Tries: Virimi Vakatawa, Franco Molina, Andrew Kellaway (2), TJ Perenara. Conversions: Tomás Albornoz (3).
