Springbok Women overpower USA with dominant first-half display at Ellis Park

The impressive Bok Women took control of the contest with five tries before the break to lead 29-0 at half-time, spending much of the opening 40 minutes camped inside the USA half while controlling possession and territory.

The Eagles Women mounted a much-improved response after the break, but victory for Swys de Bruin's side was never really in doubt.

Ayanda Malinga opened the scoring in the sixth minute when she was on hand to take the pass from a rampant Vainah Ubisi, who made great metres before putting the speedster away, with Jakkie Cilliers adding the extras.

The Bok Women kept hammering away at the US defence and Unam Tose was next over the line in the 12th minute, with Babalwa Latsha adding her name to the score sheet midway through the half in similar fashion as they remained patient on attack.

Logan Welman then added two tries in the last 10 minutes of the half, both from attacking scrums with the second converted by Cilliers, to give the South Africans a big lead at the break.

Almost from the restart, the impressive Ubisi finished after a period of sustained pressure by the South Africans to push their lead to 34-0.

The USA then started to find some rhythm, but they could not breach the green defensive wall, as Swys de Bruin sent on some fresh legs 10 minutes into the second half.

Almost an hour in, the USA finally breached the SA line when Freda Tafuna crashed over, with Annabella Vogel adding the extras to make it 34-7.

Six minutes later, it was 34-14 after Tessa Hann broke through the Bok Women's defence before Ashley Cowdrey scored next to the posts, with unforced errors creeping into the South Africans' game.

Another error by the host team allowed Elizabeth Cook to worm her way over the tryline with four minutes to go from a series of pick-and-drives to make it 34-21, but it was too little too late as the Bok Women celebrated a famous victory.

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