| South Africa |
| 38 |
| USA |
| 7 |
| 25 September 1981 | ||||||
| Owl Creek Polo ground, Glenville, NY | ||||||
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| Captain: Wynand Claassen | Referee: Don Morrison (USA) | |||||
| Coach: Nelie Smith | Attendance: 30 | |||||
| Position | Player | Province | Age | Prev Tests | Scoring |
| Loose-head Prop | Ockie Oosthuizen | N-Tvl | 26 | 4 | |
| Hooker | Robert Cockrell | WP | 31 | 10 | |
| Tight-head Prop | Flippie van der Merwe | SWD | 24 | 2 | |
| Lock | Div Visser | WP | 22 | 1 | |
| Lock | Louis Moolman | N-Tvl | 30 | 15 | |
| Flank | Burger Geldenhuys | N-Tvl | 25 | 2 | 1 try |
| Flank | Theuns Stofberg | N-Tvl | 26 | 16 | |
| Eighthman (C) | Wynand Claassen | Natal | 30 | 4 | |
| Scrumhalf | Divan Serfontein | WP | 27 | 12 | |
| Flyhalf | Naas Botha | N-Tvl | 23 | 14 | 3 conversions |
| Left Wing | Gerrie Germishuys | Tvl | 31 | 19 | 2 tries |
| Inside Centre | Danie Gerber | EP | 23 | 8 | |
| Outside Centre | Colin Beck | WP | 22 | 2 | 1 try |
| Right Wing | Ray Mordt | Tvl | 24 | 13 | 3 tries |
| Full Back | Johan Heunis | N-Tvl | 23 | 1 | |
| Reserve | Thys Burger | N-Tvl | 26 | 2 | 1 try |
| USA: 1 try, 1 penalty |
 Eagles (left) and Springboks wait for lineout ball without a spectator in sight. |