The Springboks' resounding 80-31 triumph against the Barbarians wasn't just a showcase of their offensive prowess but also a potential setback with veteran Franco Mostert's injury casting a shadow over the victory. During the clash at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Mostert was seen limping off the field, sparking concerns from head coach Rassie Erasmus about the severity of his ankle injury.
"I'm worried about his ankle," Erasmus disclosed post-game. "He’s going for scans tomorrow and hopefully it’s not too bad. ‘Sous’ doesn’t normally come off the field if it’s not serious."
While the Boks were prolific in scoring, the game also highlighted defensive lapses that Erasmus was quick to acknowledge. "Cohesion wasn’t 100%. We’ve been piecing this team together, not sure when players from the Stormers or the Bulls would be available. It’s been six, seven months since we’ve played together," he explained, indicating the makeshift nature of the team assembly.
"Overall, boxes ticked and I won’t moan too much about attack when you get 80 points. But the thing we have to moan about is the defence."
Despite the defensive concerns, several players made notable impacts. Lions fullback Quan Horn, who had a stint at flyhalf, was praised by Erasmus for his resilience and adaptability. "One of Quan’s strengths is his defence and the first try came from a guy who ran over him. But the nice thing is it didn’t take him off focus," Erasmus remarked.
He continued, "He certainly had some nice passes and made tries for guys, kicked really well to touch. That is what this game was all about – sorting out some problems and getting some answers. So overall I think he did really well."
Erasmus also lauded other players for their performances. "I think Vusi [Moyo] is a really calm guy and quite aggressive, and really impressed us as well. A guy like Riley [Norton] – 20 years old, playing a full match against grown men. That’s not easy. Paul [de Villiers] did well when he came on, Evan [Roos] did well, and I thought Faf [de Klerk] was decent when he got back in the mix."
The game, despite its high points, leaves the Boks with mixed feelings as they celebrate their win but also face uncertainty regarding Mostert's injury and the need to tighten their defence moving forward.