Redhot Reinach runs riot

KOBE: South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has a potential selection headache after thirdchoice halfback Cobus Reinach scored the fastestever Rugby World Cup hattrick in a dazzling individual display during Tuesday’s 667 pool B win over minnows Canada.

The opposition may have been weak in comparison to what the Springboks will face in the tournament’s knockout stages, but Reinach’s clinical personal performance was eyecatching, and his 11minute hattrick showed off his allround qualities.

‘‘We are fortunate to have three quality nines,’’ Erasmus told reporters in Kobe after the game.

‘‘Everybody knows Cobus’ Xfactor. ‘‘He has not had a lot of gametime since I have been coach. It has only really been now at the World Cup.’’

His effort beat the previous record held by former Australia fullback Chris Latham, who took 25 minutes to score three times in a 1420 thrashing of Namibia at the 2003 tournament.

Reinach, the son of former Bok wing Jaco, who died in a car accident in 1997, has watched as Faf de Klerk and youngster Herschel Jantjies have been preferred in what Erasmus terms his Ateam that played against New Zealand and Italy in the pool.

But his second try was one of the best individual efforts of the competition so far as he picked up the ball at the base of the ruck in his own 22, made a linebreak and chipped the ball over a lone defender before collecting the kick and dotting down. — Reuters