Record for Reinach in Canucks carnage
COBUS Reinach equalled the fastest hat-trick in Rugby World Cup history as the Springboks booked their place in the quarter-finals by hammering Canada on Tuesday.
The Boks ran in ten tries, with seven in a first-half including scrum-half Reinach’s 11-minute treble, matching the feat of Australia’s Matt Giteau in the 142-0 rout of Namibia in 2003 – in which Chris Latham also notched a 25minute hat-trick.
“Everyone knows Cobus has the X-factor,” said South Africa coach Erasmus. “He’s got exceptional speed, we’re lucky to have three quality nines at a World Cup.”
The Boks got off to the perfect start with tries in the first six minutes from centre Damian De Allende and wing S’busiso Nkosi.
Reinach’s first on ten minutes was a superb solo effort, breaking from a ruck inside his own 22, chipping over the last defender and regathering to sprint clear.
RG Snyman and fellow lock Franco Mostert then combined to send in Northampton No.9 Reinach for the bonus-point score. And with Canada reeling, Reinach had his third try.
Fly-half Elton Jantjies’ cross-kick was pulled down by Warrick Gelant, who found centre de Allende who in turn released the onrushing Reinach, below.
Gelant scored in the corner as the onslaught continued and things got worse for Canada when replacement forward Josh Larsen was sent off for flying into a ruck leading with his shoulder, hitting Thomas du Toit neck high.
Phil Mack’s sloppy pass was then intercepted by Francois Steyn, who scored the seventh first-half try. Jantjies added his sixth conversion for 47 unanswered points at half-time. But Canada, six days on from a 63-0 loss to New Zealand, avoided a whitewash thanks to flanker Matt Heaton’s try after Jeff Hassler found a rare gap in the Springbok defence. Schalk Brits, back at hooker after playing a game at No.8, side-stepped his way to his side’s eighth try before limping off. Damian Willemse, who had been on a short-term deal at Saracens and arrived in Japan five days before the match as a replacement for Jesse Kriel, went over for his first Test try and the final score came from replacement Frans Malherbe after intense pressure wore down Canada’s exhausted defence one last time.