Fullback Percy Montgomery kicked 18 points on Saturday to become South Africa’s highest career rugby union Test scorer as the Springboks beat the Pacific Islanders 38-24 after leading 23-0 at half-time.
Montgomery had four penalties and three conversions, giving him 313 points to overtake the 312 amassed by Naas Botha. Breyton Paulse had two tries for the Springboks.
Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu scored two tries for the Islanders, while flanker Sione Lauakai and winger Sireli Bobo had one each.
It was the third loss in as many weeks for the combined team of players from Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. The Islanders lost earlier tests to Australia and New Zealand.
South Africa will play the All Blacks next Saturday in a Tri-Nations match at Christchurch, New Zealand.
Montgomery, recalled to the team after an absence of three years, landed all five of his first-half kicks for a personal tally of 13 points.
South Africa exerted pressure through the set pieces, starving the Islanders of possession. The Islanders lost their first three lineout throws and also struggled in the scrum.
Montgomery opened the scoring with a 16th-minute penalty from 48m before South Africa scored the first of their two tries six minutes later.
After a series of 5m scrums, the Springboks finally crashed over the Islanders’ line as number eight Jacques Cronje peeled off the back of a scrum. — Sapa-AP