Eight-try Springboks crush Samoa dream

11.30pm UPDATE - By MITCH PHILLIPS


SOUTH AFRICA 60 SAMOA 10


BRISBANE - South Africa blasted their way into the World Cup quarter-finals with a clinical 60-10 victory over Samoa in their final pool C match on Saturday.

The 1995 champions were in command from the moment Joe van Niekerk scored a second-minute penalty and after they reached the break 31-3 ahead, Samoa's spirited second-half revival was never going to be enough.

Derick Hougaard, the 20-year-old preferred by Rudolf Straeuli to the experienced Louis Koen at first five-eighths, repaid the coach's faith with a superb performance.

In only his fourth appearance and uncapped before the tournament, he scored a try, five conversions, a penalty and a drop goal for a haul of 21 points.

South Africa scored eight tries in all to stroll into a probable quarter-final meeting with their greatest rivals New Zealand.

Apart from a brief spell early in the second half Samoa, their game riddled with errors, were unrecognisable from the team who pushed England all the way a week ago.

Springbok locks Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield were totally dominant in the lineout while Samoa also struggled in the scrum and against the rolling maul.

South Africa, who revelled in the physicality of the encounter, doused any hopes of another famous Samoan World Cup upset by charging out of the blocks.

A typical piece of enterprise from Joost van der Westhuizen saw the halfback slip untouched down the short side of a scrum and then feed the supporting Van Niekerk for a try after 90 seconds.

Hougaard added a seventh-minute drop goal then centre Jorrie Muller touched down after good work by his pack.

After 10 minutes of last week's match against England Samoa had surged into a 10-0 lead but by the same stage on Saturday they were almost out of the game as the Springboks led 17-3, Earl Va'a getting their only points with a penalty.

Samoa finally settled and put together some promising attacks but more poor handling allowed Hougaard to kick and chase his way to the third try after 26 minutes.

Hooker John Smit then threw a neat dummy to open the way for his virtual namesake Juan Smith to score just before the break, Hougaard converting.

Samoa showed far more enterprise in the second half and their efforts earned a try for lock Opeta Palepoi after six minutes.

Only desperate South African defending kept out Maurie Fa'asavalu and half a dozen others as Samoa tossed the ball around sevens-style and pounded at the line for 10 minutes, bringing the near-50,000 crowd to a frenzy.

South Africa survived the test though, then cooled the Samoan ardour when Hougaard landed a penalty before finding himself on the wrong end of one of the hits of the tournament as Brian Lima smashed into the young first five-eighths.

He limped out of the action a few minutes later, but only after he had converted winger Ashwin Willemse's 68th-minute breakaway try.

Samoa's usually indomitable spirit was then broken and Jaque Fourie scored a minute after coming on as a replacement, fullback Jaco van der Westhuyzen got in on the action and replacement halfback Neil de Kock got a try in the last minute.

There was almost a sour end to the game as a fan ran from the crowd and tried to tackle Koen as he successfully converted the last try and knocked himself unconscious in the process.

Both sets of players swapped shirts and linked arms after the game in an on-pitch prayer huddle reminiscent of the aftermath of South Africa's post-1995 final heavenly thanks.


South Africa: Tries: Joe van Niekerk, Jorrie Muller, Derick Hougaard, Juan Smith, Ashwin Willemse, Jaque Fourie, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Neil de Kock; Conversions: Hougaard (5), Louis Koen (2); Penalty: Hougaard; Drop Goal: Hougaard

Samoa: Try: Opeta Palepo Conversion: Earl V'aa; Penalty: Earl V'aa

Halftime: 31-3


- REUTERS

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