Rugby World Cup: Springbok machine hits top speed

Winger Bryan Habana scores his 39th test try against Namibia on Thursday night. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It was a derby battle staged 12,000km east of their more familiar territory.

There was no less fervour as a boisterous 26,839 crowd surged into Albany to watch the Springboks beat Namibia.

Many arrived from nearby suburbs on the North Shore where they have immigrated from Africa. They left their homes, bringing song, dance and expressions in and around just the second clash between the nations.

Four years ago, the Springboks annihilated their neighbours 105-13 in Cape Town.

That resembled a training run and last night had a similar whiff.

It was not looking good at the interval when the Boks led 31-0 with four converted tries including a penalty try when referee George Clancy ruled Namibia had ducked out off a scrum.

No problem for the crowd. The result was inevitable, but they had come to party, they had come to see Namibia and also to check out the form of the defending champions.

Namibia had a few lively lads like flankers Jacques Burger and Tinus du Plessis while fullback Chrysander Botha was a gliding runner with neat touches.

There was plenty of spirit from their teammates, but they were outmuscled and outflanked.

Some of the heavy Bok artillery was rested, but they still had the crunching forward heat from Bakkies Botha on his 32nd birthday and the brutal scavenging from Schalk Burger.

He went off at one stage for stitches in his head but returned at full throttle when a rest might have been wiser.

Captain John Smit was also lively while Danie Rossouw and Pierre Spies supplied some intermittent but eye-watering power.

Out the back, there was Will-'o-the-wisp running from Gio Aplon while on the other wing Bryan Habana, finally, after a frustrating intermission, scored his 39th test try to overtake Joost van der Westhuizen's record.

With such a handy lead at the break, the question was whether the Boks would put the hammer down or cruise in the second half.

Or would they emulate the All Blacks in the cup opener and simmer rather than sizzle after the break?

There was also curiosity about how long coach Peter de Villiers would keep Botha on the park after his Achilles tendon troubles and whether he would give Smit a decent breather.

Botha lasted eight more minutes and called it quits after a tumble, but Smit stayed on and switched to prop.

Francois Steyn scored the first after the break as the crowd entertained themselves. Morne Steyn got one too, and nonchalantly banged over the sideline conversion in a faultless night of kicking, before an early shower.

The only remaining question was the size of the winning margin.

South Africa: 87 (G Aplon 2, B Habana, J Fourie, F Steyn, M Steyn, J de Jongh 2, F Hougaard 2, D Rossouw, tries, pen try; : M Steyn, 6 con, pen, R Pienaar, 6 con. )

Namibia
HT: 31-0