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Springboks trounce Namibia
South Africa Springboks' Francois Hougaard scores a try during their Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Namibia at North Harbour Stadium
Bryan Habana became South Africa's record try scorer as the holders showed little mercy in romping to a 12-try, 87-0 victory over lowly Namibia on Thursday to edge within sight of a rugby World Cup quarter-final berth.
The twice champions were far too good for their African neighbours at the North Harbour Stadium with winger Habana claiming his 39th Springbok try to end a 15-month drought and move one ahead of former scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen.
The victory, their third after beating Wales and Fiji, leaves South Africa in pole position to top Pool D and set up a probable quarter-final against Tri-Nations champions Australia.
The Springboks face Samoa in their final Pool clash on Sept. 30 in Albany.
Although the win was never in doubt and the margin the biggest in the tournament so far, the 16 handling errors, including 10 in the first-half, concerned coach Peter de Villiers who praised captain John Smit for rectifying the problems.
"I am very pleased with what we achieved today. We started off loose then got our act together," De Villiers told reporters.
"All credit to John who regrouped the team. Great game."
Recalled winger Gio Aplon scored the opening try in the seventh minute after a neat interception by Smit before Habana raced in for the momentous second 15 minutes later from 40 metres after a teasing flat pass by lock Danie Rossouw.
De Villiers had opted to go with a number of first-choice players in his lineup despite the inferior opposition and, in the pack especially, the experience told.
Numerous scrum penalties conceded by Namibia near their line resulted in referee George Clancy of Ireland awarding a penalty try on the half hour.
The Springboks claimed the four-try bonus point seven minutes later when centre Jaque Fourie collected a neat offload by Frans Steyn in the tackle to run in under the posts.
Namibia have never won a World Cup game and, barring a couple of bright linebreaks by flanker Tinus Du Plessis and their quick winger Heine Bock, they never threatened as the Springboks went in 31-0 up at halftime.
CUT APART
More tries followed in the second half as the Springboks became more clinical after Smit's pep talk with inside centre Frans Steyn finishing off after a neat pass from number eight Pierre Spies.
However, there was a scare for the Springboks when lock Bakkies Botha winced as he was helped from the field following the try having been slow to get to his feet after being cut down by a tackle in the move that led to the score.
Flyhalf Morne Steyn was again impressive with the boot, not missing a kick as he contributed 20 points after converting his own try from the touchline on the hour before exiting to the replacements bench with 20 minutes to go.
Lively scrumhalf Francois Hougaard capped another bright performance by diving over the line minutes later as Namibia, having been beaten up in the scrums and at the breakdown by impressive Springbok counter rucking, tired.
Huge holes were fast becoming routine in the Namibia defence and the Springboks gratefully exploited them with replacement Juan de Jongh crossing for two tries, Aplon and Hougaard claiming their seconds and Rossouw barging over for a deserved effort late on.
"Very disappointing," said Namibia captain Jacques Burger.
"We said coming in that we had to keep the mistakes down to a minimum and we just made too many mistakes and a good side like the Boks will cut you apart and that's what they did."
