BOKS DEMOLISH EAGLES
After a scratchy first half South Africa run riot to secure top spot in Pool B
THE REFRAIN from the Bok camp before their final Pool B match against the Eagles was that they would never allow a “Japan” to happen to them again, and they were indeed ruthlessly efficient in dispatching the hapless Americans, who offered little more than determined defence.
The 10-try romp secured the Boks an impregnable lead at the top of Pool B and guarantees that next Saturday they will play a quarterfinal against the runners-up in Pool A next – either Wales or Australia, with those two teams clashing this Saturday in their Pool decider.
The manner in which the Boks went about this match was precisely how they were supposed to play in Brighton against a tier two nation – respect the opposition by playing with the urgency you would a top team, play to South Africa’s strengths of tactical kicking, forward driving and mauling, backs taking the ball over the advantage line, dominating the set-pieces and then cashing in after half-time when the opposition were drained of strength and the holes would start opening up.
The Bok scored 14 points in the first half and 50 in the second, which pretty much sums it up, although it has to be said that the Boks were anything but efficient in the first half, making a number of unforced errors going into contact and, worryingly, conceding a number of penalties, an area of the game the Boks’ coaching staff keep mentioning is an area of concern.
As Heyenke Meyer puts it, three points from a penalty either way can be the difference between winning and losing.
The Boks were heavily dominant in the set-pieces, especially the scrums where the Eagles’ pack was in reverse from the first scrum to the last. The errors and the penalties repeatedly halted the Boks’ early momentum and attacks that threatened tries broke down.
The Boks scored just twice in the first half, once in broken play when Damian de Allende was too elusive for the defenders, evading a number of attempted tackles when he picked up a loose ball on the United States 22.
De Allende’s centre partner, Jesse Kriel came within a centimetre of scoring after a superb build-up through the phases but the TMO confirmed he was held up just short.
From the ensuing fivemetre scrum, the Eagles were penalised for collapsing, and the Boks again took the scrum, only for the same thing to happen.
The referee warned the Eagles that they were in danger of conceding a penalty try and it was indeed third time lucky for the Boks’ scrum when the Eagles again could not hold up the advancing Bok eight, and the penalty try was duly awarded.
So it was no surprise that the Boks elected for the set scrum 10 minutes later when they were awarded a penalty close to the Eagles’ line, and when scrumhalf Du Preez swept the frontfoot ball out in the direction of Bryan Habana, a try seemed certain only for an interception on the line by wing Zack Test, who made it to halfway before he was hauled in.
The Boks would have been given a rocket at halftime because of the error count and the response was a try within two minutes, with Du Preez and Habana getting it right this time, the wing picking up a perfectly threaded grubber through the defence from his captain.
It was Habana’s 62nd Test try and he was just two behind David Campese (64) at the top of the all-time try-scoring list for tier one nations.
Three minutes later, Bismarck du Plessis bulldozed over after a series of strong drives by the forwards and the bonus point, and the quarter-final spot, were secured at 26-0.
At this point Meyer brought on Willem Alberts so that the big fellow could get a good 30-minute run and Schalk Burger a deserved rest.
Try No 5 came from a penalty kicked to the corner for the inevitable drive to the line, with Francois Louw finishing it off.
And it was try No 63 for Habana when he got an offload from a De Allende break, and he was level with Campese just a few minutes later with a cheeky effort down the blind side.
Louw nailed his second, again from an invincible forward drive, and Kriel and Lwazi Mvovo completed the rout. LEICESTER: Romania coach Lynn Howells will allow his players some beer to toast the biggest comeback in Rugby World Cup history, but it will only be a couple given their fourth Pool D match is only a few days away.
The Oaks delighted their passionate supporters when they rallied from 15-0 down early in the second half to beat Canada 17-15 on Tuesday, centre Florin Vlaicu curling the winning penalty through the posts in the 77th minute.
“I don’t think it was ever in doubt really, was it?” Welshman