Day three of the Rugby World Cup and the scores are getting bigger.
As if to outshine France’s 61 points, New Zealand’s 70 and South Africa’s 72, England romped to an 84-6 crushing of rookie Georgia on Sunday.
While the French and All Blacks can wait until later in the championship, that South African 72-6 result against Uruguay was a target for Clive Woodward’s men.
They meet the Springboks in a Group C showdown on Saturday with the loser likely to face New Zealand in the quarterfinals.
On the day Scotland fought off determined Japan 32-11 at Townsville and Wales outplayed Canada 41-10 at Melbourne, England spent 14 minutes trying to get through a solid Georgian defence before going on to score 12 tries.
”I think we needed that run,” said England captain Martin Johnson. ”They were a bit tougher than we expected but we didn’t concede a try and that was one of our targets. It’s a massive game next week.”
On its first appearance in the competition, Georgia was level at 3-3 in the early stages after Malkhaz Urjukashvili had matched a Jonny Wilkinson penalty.
But Mike Tindall’s 14th minute try was the start of a scoring romp even though England was nowhere near at its best.
Wilkinson, considered England’s biggest weapon as the nation that invented the game still seeks its first world title, didn’t miss a kick as he landed five conversions and two penalties.
At least Japan got within four points of Scotland in a Group B game before three second half tries gave the Scots a clear victory.
Wales shrugged off some early Canadian fire to score five tries in Group D.
Although that’s not going to frighten group leader New Zealand, it will give the Welsh a strong chance of taking second place which means playing in the quarterfinal.
But the margin of victories in a competition that brings together the best teams in the game makes something of a mockery of the sport.
While emerging teams such as Georgia, Uruguay, Italy, Romania, Canada and the United States show signs they are getting better, the likes of New Zealand, England, Australia, South Africa and France are setting an even faster pace.
Professionalism has led to players getting fitter, faster and more skillful but it remains a top heavy sport with only the top teams winning the best prizes and the rest falling further behind.
”Obviously it’s a concern, not only for the board, but it’s also a global issue and it’s for all nations to consider what should be done,” said IRB Communications manager Chris Rea. ”The aim is that by 2007, or 2011, it’s not just four or five countries with a realistic chance of winning, but seven or eight.”
No matches are scheduled for Monday while Namibia makes its first appearance of this World Cup against Argentina on Tuesday.
That will be a big occasion for fly half Rudi van Vuuren who will become the first player to take part in World Cups at rugby and cricket.
Van Vuuren had a bittersweet cricket experience at the World Cup in South Africa in February. Despite taking five for 43 against England, his bowling was hammered by the Australians with Darren Lehmann scoring a World Cup record 28 off one of his overs.
Now he faces the mighty Pumas pack. – Sapa-AP