TOYOTA CITY AFP: Two-time champions South Africa recorded one of their biggest Rugby World Cup wins when they routed a porous Namibia 57-3 to move towards the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Five tries in the first half and another four in the second swept aside Namibia as the Springboks briefly threatened to eclipse the 87-0 win, the heaviest they have recorded at World Cups, over the Welwitschias in 2011.
After Japan’s sensational 19-12 victory over Ireland earlier on Saturday, any hopes of another upset were quickly snuffed out at a packed City of Toyota Stadium as South Africa attacked relentlessly from the outset.
Namibia kept South Africa scoreless for just nine minutes at the start of the game before three catch-and-drive tries in the space of seven minutes put the outcome beyond doubt.
Hooker Bongi Mbonambi barged over for a routine score before Francois Louw went over in similar circumstances, following RG Snyman’s slick back-of-the-hand offload in the build-up.
By the time Mbonambi had pushed over for his second try, Namibia’s Adriaan Booysen was in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on and the Welwitschias were yet to get out of their half apart from re-starts.