South Africa’s World Cup got off to a rousing start with a 72-6 defeat of Uruguay in Perth, the highest score recorded by South Africa in three World Cups. The Springboks scored 12 tries — six in either half — and were far more convincing than against the same opposition at the 1999 tournament.
Captain for the day, Joost van der Westhuizen, extended his Springbok try scoring record with a hat trick, two in the first six minutes to get the ball rolling against severely limited opponents. The little possession that came Uruguay’s way they happily kicked away and their principle ball carriers were an admittedly massive front row.
After such a rousing start it was a surprise to see the Boks scoreless until Joe van Niekerk’s 20th minute try, the result of a fine break by de Wet Barry. Uruguay’s captain and outside centre, Diego Aguirre, kicked two penalties early in the second quarter, but that was the extent of ”Los Teros” ambitions.
There were further first half tries from Bakkies Botha and Thinus Delport, while Jacques Fourie gave a foretaste of things to come when he ran in the sixth Springbok try from inside his own half to make it 36-6 at half time.
Coach Rudolf Straeuli’s decision to pick the Lions utility back at outside centre may yet prove to be an inspired one for the 20 year old has pace and power to burn and hasn’t been around in senior rugby long enough to be tainted by the general malaise of South African rugby.
Louis Koen chose to drop kick the conversion of Fourie’s try in sevens style and continued to do so until he was replaced. It showed scant respect for Uruguay, but suggested that the Springboks have bigger fish to fry – England next week, for instance.
The half back combination was changed on the hour, shortly after van der Westhuizen’s third try, giving a first test cap to Derick Hougaard and a chance to challenge for the number nine shirt to Neil de Kock. Hougaard came close to a dream start, but dropped the ball over the try line in the 66th minute.
Hougaard took time to come to terms with the game and was not helped by having to continue dropping at goal for his conversion attempts. He was hit hard off the ball in the dying minutes, but seemed to make a full recovery. The Boks suffered no serious injuries.
The game was one-sided, but a hypercritical eye would have spotted a tendency for the Springboks to run into faces, rather than spaces. The urge to make contact is something that will drag this team down against better opposition.
There was also an inability to move the ball quickly away from the tackle and right wing Ashwin Willemse had to go searching for the ball, aware that it would never reach him by way of a simple back line move.
Nevertheless in a game that was effectively a hiding to nothing, the Springboks did much right and little wrong. It was a seven out of 10 performance, enough to keep the squad fresh ahead of the England game without giving too much away to their massively fancied opponents.