The result was not surprising, but South Africa will know that they were in a Test match after they beat a brave United States outfit 43-20 in Houston on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles tested the former world champions right to the bitter end, and the scoreline even flattered the Springboks somewhat thanks to a late score by Bok fullback Conrad Jantjes after the Americans had camped in the South African 22 just before the final whistle.
Jantjes's try came as a result of some good work from Bok veterans Joost van der Westhuizen and Pieter Rossouw, but Eagles No.12 Juan Grobler will be kicking himself after he lost possession on the Springbok tryline when he had support on his outside.
Grobler, who holds the distinction of having scored the only try against the Wallabies at the 1999 World Cup, backed himself against the Bok defence, but could only watch as Trevor Halstead ripped the ball away from him before Rossouw and Van der Westhuizen combined to put Jantjes away.
Earlier in the game, some 74 minutes earlier to be exact, Jantjes got the first try of the day after some good work from Bok No.12 Adrian Jacobs, even though Jacobs's pass to Jantjes did look suspiciously forward ...
Louis Koen did not convert the try -- his only miss of the day -- but South Africa led 5-3 after a first-minute penalty from Eagles flyhalf Link Wilfley.
Wilfley was in excellent kicking form throughout the day -- he also missed just one shot at goal -- and he struck three long-range penalties, to see his side hold a 9-5 lead after 15 minutes of play.
The Springboks were guilty of losing a lot of ball in contact situations, going off-sides and holding on in the tackle, and shortly after his team's second try -- by hooker Lukas van Biljon -- Bok tighthead prop Cobus Visagie found himself in the sin bin when he impeded Eagles scrumhalf Kevin Dalzell as he tried to take a quick tap-penalty.
The Eagles were unable to capitalise on their one-man overlap, but left-wing Jason Keyter slotted a neat drop-goal just after Visagie arrived back on the field. Keyter's drop went straight and true after a good passage of play from the Eagles, but soon afterwards, Springbok skipper-of-the-day André Vos strolled over for his side's third try.
Eagles flyhalf Link Wilfley narrowed the gap to 22-15 at half-time, and after the break two Springbok substitutions up front -- Ollie le Roux for debutant Lawrence Sephaka and Willie Meyer for Cobus Visagie -- were the prelude to Pieter Rossouw's 21st Test try.
Rossouw took a nice inside-pass from Conrad Jantjes, who for the record looked much more assured this week after some shaky performances in recent week, after some quick hands from centres Adrian Jacobs and André Snyman.
Jacobs teased the Eagles defence with subtle changes of pace and some deft footwork at times, but he never got enough ball to make enough of an impression on the Eagles defence, which stood up to all the Boks had to offer.
Soon after Rossouw's try, former captain Dan Lyle was forced from the field with a head injury, and his departure, along with South Africa's greater level of fitness and the sin-binning of lock Eric Reed for an intentional knock-down, saw the match fizzle out as a contest before the home side stormed back in the final five minutes.
The Springboks had used their entire bench by then, and with utility forward André Venter, who came on early in the game for Joe van Niekerk after he took a knock to his ankle early in the first stanza, struggling with an injury, the Eagles forwards combined to get young loosehead prop Mike MacDonald over the tryline for their first try of the day.
No.6 flanker Kort Schubert took some good ball at the tail of the Eagles line-out and MacDonald was the lucky man with the ball after a powerful Eagles drive surged into the Bok in-goal area.
The Eagles, who are basically a bunch of amateurs, can hold their heads high after they were given no price against the fully-professional Springbok outfit.
At times they tested the Springbok defence around the fringes of the rucks and mauls, but their discipline was streets ahead of South Africa's, and this performance bodes well for their future.
The Springboks will return home after a less-than-satisfactory tour, which yielded just two wins from four Tests. They missed the stability of Robbie Kempson up front, the attacking prowess of Robbie Fleck in the midfield and a specialist fetcher in their starting fifteen.
Maybe the tour was part of Harry Viljoen's much-vaunted "process", but either way it proved that the 1995 World Cup champions need a major overhaul if they are to be competitive in 2002.
Man of the match: Eagles No.8 Dan Lyle was superb before he left the field just after half-time, as was South African-born No.13 Philip Eloff. For the Boks, hooker Lukas van Biljon and lock Victor Matfield were brilliant and inside centre Adrian Jacobs showed touches of class. But in the end, Springbok skipper of the day André Vos scoops our man of the match award for his outstanding leadership and never-say-die attitude.
Moment of the match: When Springbok flyhalf Louis Koen got the match underway at 20.00 GMT. This was the first meeting between the USA and South Africa in 20 years and a big day for sport -- and rugby in particular -- in the United States.
Villain of the match: Springbok tighthead prop Cobus Visagie picks up our award for his blatant foul on Eagles No.9 Kevin Dalzell in the 25 minute of the first half. It was out of character for Visagie and the only bit of foul-play in the match.
The Teams:
South Africa: 1 Lawrence Sephaka, 2 Lukas Van Biljon, 3 Cobus Visagie, 4 Victor Matfield, 5 Albert Van Den Bergh, 6 A.J. Venter, 7 Andre Vos (c), 8 Joe Van Niekerk, 9 Deon De Kock, 10 Louis Koen, 11 Dean Hall, 12 Adi Jacobs, 13 Andre Snyman, 14 Pieter Rossouw, 15 Conrad Jantjes
Reserves: De Wet Barry, Trevor Halstead, John Smit, Ollie Le Roux, Willie Meyer, Joost Van Der Westhuizen, Andre Venter
United States: 1 Mike MacDonald, 2 Kirk Khasigian, 3 Paul Still, 4 Luke Gross, 5 Eric Reed, 6 Dave Hodges (c), 7 Kort Schubert, 8 Dan Lyle, 9 Kevin Dalzell, 10 Link Wilfley, 11 Jason Keyter, 12 Phillip Eloff, 13 Juan Grobler, 14 Johnny Naqica, 15 Kurt Shuman
Reserves: Dan Dorsey, Olo Fifita, Kimball Kjar, Brian Surgener, Mose Timoteo
Unused: Dan Anderson, Andy McGarry
Attendance: 10000
Referee: Mene d.
Points Scorers:
South Africa
Tries: Hall D. 1, Jantjes C.A. 2, Van Biljon L. 1, Rossouw P.W.G. 1, Vos A.N. 1
Conv: Koen L.J. 5
Pen K.: Koen L.J. 1
United States
Tries: MacDonald M. 1
Pen K.: Wilfley L.M. 4
Drop G.: Keyter J.C. 1
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