South Africa needed a bonus-point win to top the group, and was halfway there with a 14-0 lead despite an error-prone first half at halftime after Damian de Allende’s opener in the seventh minute, and a penalty try from sustained forward pressure in the 27th.
Advertisement
Springbok winger Bryan Habana played down comparisons between him and All Black legend Jonah Lomu after he equaled the Rugby World Cup try-scoring record held by the big winger with a hat-trick against the U.S. on Wednesday evening.
Habana’s three second-half tries were added to by Bismarck Du Plessis, Jesse Kriel, Lwazi Mvovo and Francois Louw (2).
South Africa toiled against a US team that made 12 changes to rest their key players for Sunday’s more winnable game against Japan.
Despite those changes the Americans made a bright start but hopes of another upset had all disappeared at the break with Folau Niua and South Africa-born Niku Kruger both missing kickable penalties.
It was the biggest winning margin of the tournament so far, and the American Eagles’ largest World Cup defeat. But we don’t look past this game.
When asked about Habana’s achievement, Meyer said: “First and foremost it sounds corny but the one thing we are getting right now is that it is better for the team than the individual”.
He and his fellows also show what the success of the USA’s sevens programme (never program, despite where I am and where coach Mike Friday is from, which is deepest London) might yet do for the United States 15-man game.
“I didn’t even know he had got the record, I was more focused on the game”.
Players shake hands at the end of the Rugby World Cup Pool B match between Scotland and South Africa at St James’ Park, Newcastle, England, Saturday, October 3, 2015.
South Africa now face a quarter-final with the losers of Saturday’s Pool A clash between Australia and Wales and Habana said: “The hard work really starts now”.
The game finished 64-0 much to the pleasure of Brand South Africa, which was established in 2002 to help create a positive and compelling brand image for South Africa.
Poor Springbok handling saw de Allende take the ball off the floor, before going through a huge gap in the defence and under the posts for his first Test try.
However, after the seismic shock of the Japan defeat, the vigour of the Springboks’ response, with two emphatic victories over Samoa (46-10) and Scotland (34-16), has raised the prospect that the two-time world champs could go one step further than Phil Vickery’s England in Paris eight years ago.
“It is great that people are writing us off but I know what this team can do, slowly but surely we have been improving”.
“That second-half performance has been as polished as I have been involved in with a Bok team”, he told reporters.
Today will see US No 8 Samu Manoa captain the side for the first time, with squad skipper Chris Wyles on the bench.
Advertisement
Coach Heyneke Meyer said the Springboks struggled for cohesion and consistency due to injuries to senior players all season, and the shocking opening loss to Japan at the World Cup could easily have plunged the team into a downward spiral.
