Springboks cruise to win

Robbie Fleck was the spark for the Springboks

South Africa 51-18 Canada (HT 27-10)

South Africa warmed up for Saturday's test against England with a comfortable 51-18 win over Canada in East London on Saturday.

The Springboks, playing their first test of the season and displaying a more adventurous style than at last year's World Cup, scored four tries in each half.

Diminutive winger Breyton Paulse and centre Robbie Fleck grabbed two each as the Springboks looked to move the ball as much as possible.

Fleck was at the heart of best moments in their first match since last November's third and fourth play-off victory against the All Blacks at the World Cup.

Double: Paulse scored two first-half tries

Fleck often breached the first line of defence and created space for those around him to utilise their pace.

South Africa raced out to a 27-3 lead after 30 minutes and threatened to run away with the match, but Canada kept them honest and scored a try, their first-ever against the Springboks, before the break to trail 27-10 at half-time.

Changes

The Springboks, dominant at the set pieces, extended their lead after the break with four tries, but took their foot off the pedal in the final quarter as coach Nick Mallett made changes.

The visitors, without prop Rod Snow who was ruled out with tick bite fever, pressed hard in the final 20 minutes, converting Springbok errors into attacking opportunities.

Fullback Winston Stanley was on the receiving end of a cross-kick to get a morale-boosting try in the dying moments of the match.

We'll have to tighten things up against England next week, but we were always aware that this match would be a matter of getting to grips with a new game plan

Springbok captain Andre Vos

Andre Vos, South Africa's new captain, said he was satisfied with the match.

"We wanted to move the ball wide, and we scored some good tries," he said.

"We'll have to tighten things up against England next week, but we were always aware that this match would be a matter of getting to grips with a new game plan."

Canadian captain Al Charron said: "We really had very little possession, so we couldn't play the expansive game we would have liked," he said.

The Springboks play England in Pretoria next Saturday in the first of two tests.

South Africa - Tries: Breyton Paulse (2), Robbie Fleck (2), Robbie Kempson, De Wet Barry, Andre Vos, Percy Montgomery; Cons: Braam van Straaten (4); Pen: Van Straaten
Canada - Tries: Al Charron, Winston Stanley; Con: Scott Stewart; Pens: Stewart (2)

Teams:
South Africa Percy Montgomery (Thinus Delport 80), Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, De Wet Barry (Japie Mulder 76), Pieter Rossouw (Chester Williams 76), Braam van Straaten (Percy Montgomery 80), Joost van der Westhuizen, Andre Vos (captain), Andre Venter (Corne Krige 76), Johan Erasmus, Krynauw Otto, Selborne Boome (Andre Venter 76), Cobus Visagie (Willie Meyer 60), Charl Marais (John Smit 14, Marais 28), Robbie Kempson.
Canada: Winston Stanley, Fred Asselin (Jason Verstraten 76), Nikyta Wikowski, Kyle Nichols (Mark Irvine 57), Sean Fauth, Scott Stewart, Morgan Williams, Philip Murphy (Ed Knaggs 80), Dan Baugh (Gregor Dixon 73), Ryan Banks, John Tait, Al Charron (captain), Jon Thiel, Pat Dunkley, Kevin Tkachuk (Duane Major 51).