Springboks Showcase Dominance with Impressive 64-21 Victory over Portugal

The Springboks capped off their remarkable Castle Lager Incoming Series with a resounding 64-21 triumph over Portugal at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, with the match taking place on a chilly evening on July 20, 2024. This electrifying encounter saw the South African team scoring an astonishing ten tries, proving once again that rugby can bring unity and excitement to the fans.

As part of the 42,626-strong crowd echoed the national anthems, onlookers were treated to an exhilarating performance, marking the first time Portugal faced the Springboks on the rugby field. Portugal’s brave effort saw them claiming three tries, showcasing their progress as an emerging rugby nation that continues to develop.

The match commenced with a dramatic turn of events when South African centre Andre Esterhuizen was shown a yellow card just two minutes into the game due to a controversial tackle involving a head clash with Portugal’s Jose Lima. The latter had to leave the pitch on a stretcher, and after a review, Esterhuizen’s yellow card was escalated to a red, forcing him to exit the match prematurely.

Despite facing the challenge of being one man down, the Springboks immediately responded to the Portuguese efforts, who began their scoring journey with a remarkable try by Jose Paiva dos Santos. The Portuguese winger made history by becoming the first player from his nation to cross the try line against South Africa, resulting in a remarkable start for the men in red.

However, the Springboks bounced back swiftly from their opponents’ lead. Following the restart, they forced a mistake from Portugal during a touch finder, resulting in a lineout for the Springboks. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, making his Test debut, took advantage of the occasion by scoring his first try after receiving a well-timed offload from RG Snyman. Although Manie Libbok missed the conversion, the Springboks had ignited their performance.

Within 16 minutes, the Springboks seized control of the match. Phepsi Buthelezi scored another try, utilizing the momentum gained from a driving maul that came from a penalty awarded after a collapsed lineout from Portugal. With the score now at 12-7, the crowd erupted as excitement filled the air.

The home side continued pressing forward, and Kurt-Lee Arendse extended their lead further by scoring the third try after a crafty grubber kick by Aphelele Fassi found him in space. Libbok managed to convert, pushing the tally to 17-7, much to the delight of the Springbok supporters.

As the first half continued, it became clear that the Springboks were in formidable form. Ben-Jason Dixon, another debutant, touched down for the fourth try after some impressive teamwork from the forwards, asserting their dominance in the match.

A yellow card for Arendse with only minutes left in the first half brought a brief spark of hope for Portugal. However, even with only five backs on the field, Lukhanyo Am broke through with a well-timed run to score in the corner, converting the try from a difficult angle, closing the first half at 29-7.

The second half kicked off with more powerful displays from the Springboks as Arendse, back from the sin-bin, came close to scoring again. Shortly afterward, a powerful scrum set the stage for Makazole Mapimpi, who dashed through the Portuguese defense for the sixth try of the night.

As the match progressed, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who replaced Libbok, added the conversion, expanding the lead to 36-7. Coach Rassie Erasmus introduced Morne van den Berg early in the second half, allowing him to make an impressive Test debut.

Mapimpi continued to make headlines with his dynamic play. Following Portugal’s deep kick, Van den Berg launched a counter-attack, leading to an exquisite pass from Feinberg-Mngomezulu to set up Mapimpi’s second try of the match. With the score now at 43-7, Portugal needed to respond quickly.

Portugal did manage to capture a moment of brilliance during the match when Dos Santos scored his second try of the evening using his clever footwork to outmaneuver the South African defense. Domingo Cabral converted, narrowing the gap to 43-14.

As substitutions got underway, several new players made their debuts for the Springboks. Quan Horn quickly marked his presence by scoring a try after an impressive blindside run from a scrum, while Andre-Hugo Venter crashed over close to the line, extending their lead to 57-14 with Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting again.

Horn received a yellow card later in the match, giving Portugal an opportunity to exploit the numerical advantage, which they did as Duarte Torgai scored their third try of the night. Yet, Mapimpi concluded the evening in style with a third try of his own, sending the home crowd into a frenzy as the final whistle blew at 64-21.

The Springboks thus completed a memorable series and showcased their potency on the field, having successfully accumulated ten tries. As for Portugal, their performance signaled their emergence as a force to be reckoned with in international rugby.