• Rugby World Cup 2019: South Africa 57-3 Namibia

    South Africa were expected to beat Namibia without any problems, and that was how it played out as Rassie Erasmus' side grabbed nine tries.
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    Makazole Mapimpi and Bongi Mbonambi grabbed two tries each as South Africa thrashed Namibia 57-3 at the Rugby World Cup.

    The Pool B clash between sides ranked fifth and 23rd in the world was always likely to be a one-sided contest, and South Africa had licence effectively to score as many points as they fancied.

    With Namibia unable to cope with the pedigree of the favourites in Toyota City, it was the perfect occasion for the Springboks to move on from their opening loss to New Zealand.

    Schalk Brits had an early try ruled out for dropping the ball as South Africa laid siege to the Namibia try line, but the points would soon flood in.

    First, Mbonambi powered over from a driving maul. The second try soon arrived as Francois Louw barged through a paper-thin Namibian defensive line, and losing Adriaan Booysen for a deliberate knock-on hardly helped the minnows’ cause.

    Going down to 14 men proved immediately costly, Mbonambi the beneficiary as South Africa made a penalty lineout count.

    After plundering 19 points in just about as many minutes, South Africa gave three back when Cliven Loubser put Namibia on the board with a confident penalty, but it was momentary respite.

    And after their first three tries came in powerful if unspectacular style, the recent Rugby Championship winners began to run the ball with a pressure-free swagger, Mapimpi scorching through for their fourth try.

    Brits fed Lukhanyo Am to dot down at the end of the first half, South Africa’s fifth try giving them a 31-3 interval lead.

    It was all too easy, Warrick Gelant and Mapimpi scampering behind token enemy defensive lines as the predictable points pile-up continued into the second half. For Mapimpi, his second try took him to 10 in 10 outings for the Boks.

    South Africa were moving the ball well, and captain Siya Kolisi grabbed the eighth try. Elton Jantjies was way off target with the conversion, having previously missed two in the first half, but the Boks were up to 50 points.

    Brits was clattered off the ball by Johannes Coetzee, whose sin-binning was compounded by South Africa going over again, with 38-year-old Brits appropriately the scorer.
     

    Palette cleanser for the Springboks

    After the bitter taste of defeat to the All Blacks seven days previously, this was a banker for South Africa and the landslide outcome was never in doubt. Still, getting a win on the board will cheer Rassie Erasmus, his staff and the Springbok players themselves. They remain determined to be in Japan for the long haul.

    Who thrilled? Mbonambi

    Hooker Mbonambi enjoyed himself in the early stages and his power and opportunism was rewarded with two tries. It was an occasion made for the South Africa pack to exert pressure on Namibia’s try line, and there was little resistance encountered.

    Key Opta Stats:

    – South Africa have won both of their Rugby World Cup clashes against Namibia by a combined score of 144-3. 
    – The Springboks’ 54-point victory was their fourth biggest at the Rugby World Cup; their biggest win remains an 87-point victory against Namibia in 2011.
    – South Africa became the first team to score 50+ points at this year’s Rugby World Cup and the first side to score 8+ tries in this edition of the tournament.
    – Brits (38 years 135 days) became the second oldest player to score a try in a Rugby World Cup match after Uruguay’s Diego Ormaechea, who was 40 when he crossed against Spain in 1999.
    – Mbonambi became the third hooker to score 2+ tries in a match at this year’s Rugby World Cup, it had happened just twice previously in the tournament’s history.

    What’s next?

    Italy should provide more of a test for South Africa when they meet in Shizuoka on Friday. Pray for Namibia, though, when they tackle – or attempt to tackle – the All Blacks in Tokyo on Sunday, October 6.

    KEO.co.za News wire is powered by opta

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