South Africa survived an early scare to begin their international rugby season with a thumping 47-13 win against a World XV in Cape Town on Saturday. A pair of tries from hooker Bismarck du Plessis helped the Springboks see off a star-strewn side.<\/p>\n
From the kick-off the World XV — which included All Black legend Carl Hayman and European player of the year Steffon Armitage — quickly disabused any notion that they were at Newlands to make up the numbers.<\/p>\n
They challenged the first South African line-out, unperturbed by the presence of reunited veterans Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, each at two metres tall and with almost 200 Tests between them.<\/p>\n
Matfield, 37, was making his return to the international game three years after retiring and was named interim captain in Jean de Villiers’s absence.<\/p>\n
The World XV hit the early rucks at ferocious speed and put a startled Boks team on the back foot.<\/p>\n
When they were awarded a penalty in the third minute, well within kicking distance, Rory Kockott — an uncapped South African who plays club rugby for Castres in the French Top 14 and will soon be eligible to play for Les Bleus — elected to put it to the corner.<\/p>\n
A few bruising phases later the World XV’s ex-Bok lock Alistair Hargreaves spun out of a tackle and managed to ground the ball for the first try of the game.<\/p>\n
But as the game progressed the Springboks hit their stride…<\/p>\n