South Africa’s Moodie takes centre stage and leaves New Zealand reeling | Luke McLaughlin

Young Springbok has not played on the outside in midfield since school but looked a devastating natural in his new role

Canan Moodie had never played at outside-centre in a professional game. At least, not until this super-charged Twickenham evening, as fierce a Rugby World Cup warm-up as you will see despite the one-sided scoreboard.

In a match where the devastating power of the Springbok pack was again to the fore – when Jacques Nienaber selected a seven-one split in favour of forwards on the replacements’ bench – it may seem odd to focus on a back. But intelligently applied South African strength is a given these days, and the 20-year-old Moodie clearly has something special.