Springboks bounce back to draw with Barbarians

South Africa centres Francois Venter and Ronhan Janse van Rensburg both scored late tries as the Springboks rescued a 31-31 draw with the Barbarians in their European tour opener at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Springboks were 31-19 down before their midfield duo crossed during the closing minutes to score the last of the game’s 10 tries.
There was still time for Barbarians replacement Luke Morahan to complete what would have been a hat-trick but the Australia international knocked on.
“It’s never easy to draw a game, we see it as a loss really,” said South Africa coach Allister Coetzee after the first draw in eight matches between the two sides.
“The pleasing aspect was the character, it could have gone pear-shaped.”
His Barbarians counterpart, Robbie Deans had a similar view of the result.
“You never enjoy sharing (the trophy) but it was a good effort from the boys and better than coming second.
“I am very proud of the way the boys came together in a short space of time and contributed to a great spectacle,” added the New Zealander, a former Australia coach.
It took the Barbarians just five minutes to open the scoring when, following a line-out, fly-half Robert du Preez, one of four South Africans in the Barbarians starting XV, checked the Springbok defence with a ‘show and go’.
He then found Blues fullback Melani Nanai, who showed good strength to cross at the corner.
Du Preez missed the conversion but the Barbarians were 5-0 up.
South Africa, with just three forwards from the pack that played in their record 57-15 defeat by New Zealand in Durban last month, were soon on level terms.
In the 12th minute, lock Pieter-Steph du Toit surged through after winning ball at a line-out, with the Barbarians defence at the set-piece all but non-existent.
Pat Lambie, captain of a South Africa side featuring nine uncapped players in the matchday 23, missed the conversion.
The Barbarians regained the lead in the 19th minute with a try worthy of their attacking traditions that delighted a crowd of over 46,000.
They turned over ruck ball deep in their own 22 and Highlanders wing Matt Faddes broke clear down the right touchline.
He regathered his own chip and passed inside to Barbarians captain Andy Ellis, with the former All Blacks scrum-half rounding off an 80-metre try that was converted.
South Africa, however, drew level four minutes later when blindside flanker Roelof Smit crossed from a close range line-out.
But in the 40th minute the Barbarians, after a burst by Nanai, saw Australia wing Taqele Naiyaravoro go in at the corner for an unconverted try and a 17-12 lead at the break.
Four minutes into the second half, though, the Springboks led for the first time.
Van Rensburg, in his maiden South Africa appearance, made a clever break and released wing Sergeal Petersen, whose angled run under the posts set up an easy conversion for Lambie.
Turnovers, however, continued to hurt the Springboks and the Barbarians regained the lead in the 55th minute.
A counter-attack move involving flankers Jordan Taufua and Brad Shields ended with Nanai finding Morahan for a try converted by fellow substitute Richard Mo’Unga.
Morahan was on hand again in the 67th minute for another converted try when he exploited a gap in South Africa’s defensive line.
That gave the Barbarians breathing space a 12-point lead with 12 minutes left but South Africa cut the gap to five when Venter crossed.
Then, in the 77th minute, van Rensburg just stayed in touch as he went in at the corner.
Lambie’s missed conversion left the match tied at 31-31.
South Africa’s tour continues with a Test against England at Twickenham on November 12.
The Springboks have lost five of their last nine full internationals, while England are unbeaten since Eddie Jones took over as their coach following last year’s World Cup.
But a defiant Coetzee insisted: “To say we are really worried and nervous, not at all.”