NOVEMBER 10, 2009 - Robbie Fleck and Braam Van Straaten rolled back the years as South Africa gave Canada a rugby masterclass last night.

The two veteran Springboks pulled the strings in a performance that left Canada chasing shadows.

And with Trevor Halstead and Pieter Muller in the centres, the Classic Springboks looked every bit the 40-point favourites that they were pegged as at the local bookies leading up to the game.

In all the Springboks ran in seven tries in a crushing victory that underlined their status as favourites to win this year's Classic.

Van Straaten began the scoring with a try he then converted, and when lock Ryan Strudwick crossed to make it 12-0 in a matter of minutes it looked like being a long night for the Canadians.

Deon Kayser scored the first of his two tries soon after, but it was his second, and South Africa's fourth that had the crowd purring.

Fleck collected a high ball following a hacked Canada clearance, and with his back to the opposition, took the catch, spun, broke three tackles, and glided past two others before setting the ball up for his forwards to secure.

The move dragged in several Canada players, and left several others stranded, and resulted in Kayser crossing in the corner two phases later to make the score 24-0 following Van Straaten's conversion.

Canada had little in the way of attacking opportunities throughout the match, but they did score early in the second half, with Dan Harlow's impressive individual effort.

That though was as close as they came. Mark Watson grabbed two second-half tries to put further distance between the two sides, and prop Frikkie Du Plooy even got in on the act despite spending time in the sin-bin after tempers boiled over once too often.