Habana hat-trick seals Bok rout
Habana's three tries – which took him up to 15 in three World Cup tournaments – also saw him join Australian David Campese in second place on the all-time try-scorers list in Test rugby.
They both have 64 tries, with Japan's Daisuke Ohata the leading scorer on 69.
The 10 tries to nil win by the Springboks at Olympic Park also saw them claim first place in Pool B – which means they will meet either Australia or Wales in the quarterfinals.
Way back in 1937, the Springboks were to play the deciding third Test in New Zealand and they received a famous telegram from Paul Roos, telling them to scrum and to do it over and over again – "Skrum. Skrum. Skrum."
That could have been the instruction on Wednesday, as the Springboks repeatedly chose scrums in preference to penalties.
In fact they did not aim a single penalty kick at goal, which may be unique.
But then they had the aim of winning and scoring four tries.
They won and scored 10 tries. That took them unassailably to the top of their pool.
Thank heavens for the second half.
The first half was a drab affair of predictable repetition. It ended 14-0 only because Damian de Allende had scored a masterful try off rotten ball and another scrum collapsed by the US gave them a penalty try.
For the rest of that half, the brave Americans dominated possession and kept it through phases which, sadly for them, went nowhere as the Springbok tacklers drove them back again and again.
The Eagles got first phase possession, not easily in the scrums but well in the line-outs.
Despite the immense pressure on them at scrums, they did not once in the match lose their own ball. And their protection of their own ball at tackles was secure. When it was less so in the second half, tries came South Africa's way. And at the end, well after the 80 minutes were up, the praiseworthy Eagles were still playing with zest for a try, till a handling error gave one to the Springboks.
Of the 10 South African tries, six were scored by the outside backs, which suggests that there was a lot of fluid, creative back play, but that is not true. The first try was really an individual event.
A penalty gave the Springboks an attacking line-out, which they mauled. The Eagles were again penalised, Fourie du Preez tapped but the ball went to ground where Schalk Burger pushed to towards De Allende who picked it up, handed off and scored under the posts. 7-0 after 8 minutes and much was expected that did not happen as the game went on with phases and tackles.
The USA had two chances to score but were short with a long kick and hit the upright with a short one.
There were couple of frights when Burger was fallen on and hurt and when Blaine Scully and Bryan Habana were hurt in an aerial collision and both had to leave for a concussion test, which both passed.
There was an exciting moment when quick, short passes amongst the forwards saw Handré Pollard racing away on a long run. He had Jesse Kriel outside of him but went on till Brett Thompson tackled him. The Springboks continued the attack and Kriel went for the line tackled by the excellent US scrumhalf Niku Kruger. The TMO revealed that Kruger had managed to keep Kriel short of the line.
Penalties gave the Springboks two five-metre scrums. The Springboks pushed forward and the Eagles collapsed. After talking to captain Samu Manoa, the referee awarded a penalty try for the third collapse. 14-0 after 27 minutes,
That was the half-time score.
The second half started with the Springboks bubbling. Francois Louw, who had a splendid game, won a turnover which he handed to Du Preez. The clever scrum grubbered into the open where Habana raced after the ball, gathered and scored. Habana was happy. 21-0 after 41 minutes.
From a line-out the Springboks attacked. De Allende, Eben Etzebeth and Du Preez were close. The Springboks had a five-metre scrum, Vermeulen picked up and wheeled towards the line where Du Preez gave to Bismarck du Plessis who ploughed through Thompson's tackle to score, 26-0 after 47 minutes.
That was the bonus point and South Africa was going into the quarterfinal as the leaders of Pool B.
At this stage substitutions started as burly Willem Alberts came on for Burger and eventually all the bench got to play, which included a first cap for Rudy Paige. When Morné Steyn got on, there was no doubting the delight in his face and bright, bright eyes.
A penalty and a five-metre line-out led to a maul and a try for the tailend Charlie, Francois Louw. 35-0 after 52 minutes.,
From a line-out Du Preez ran sideways and then hit De Allende with a perfect pass. The big centre burst straight through and gave to Habana on his outside for a second try for the happy wing. 40-0 after 59 minutes.
Three minutes later, down in the Eagles' 22, a maul formed on Kriel and the ball shot out of the side where Habana snatched it up and scored in the corner. Happy Habana. Steyn converted. 47-0 after 62 minutes.
Habana could have been even happier when Willie le Roux threaded through a grubber and Habana chased and bent to pick up a ball with a kindly bounce and lost it as he dived at the line.
Another penalty, another maul and a second try for Louw 52-0 after 69 minutes.
Kriel did a sharp scissors with Steyn and raced through the gap for a simple try. 57-0 with 7 minutes to play.
The clock went beyond 80 minutes but the men from the land of the brave and the free kept on trying enthusiastically for a try but they lost the ball about 12 metres into the South African half and Lwazi Mvovo footed it down field into the US half. He footed it again and just before the line he snatched it up and scored as Chris Wyles tried to stop him. Mvovo in fact dropped the ball but not forward and then grounded it.
On 84 minutes and 49 seconds the final whistle sounded in the packed Olympic Stadium in London.
Man of the Match: It's not an easy choice. For the USA there were lock Louis Stanfill and scrumhalf Niku Kruger with his outstanding pass and energy about the field and, obviously, there were many South Africans, including Willie le Roux, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Frans Malherbe and the rest of the scrummagers who subdued the USA, and forceful Damian de Allende, happy Bryan Habana and our choice, Fourie du Preez whose skill and sharp brain mean so much to the Springboks.
Moment of the Match: It was easy – Damian de Allende's try from unpromising beginnings. It stated that victory belonged to the Springboks.
Villain of the Match: Nobody. Both teams were honourable and in fact polite, helping opponents up off the ground.
The scorers:
For South Africa:
Tries: De Allende, penalty try, Habana 3, Du Plessis, Louw 2, Kriel, Mvovo
Cons: Pollard 4, Steyn 3
For the United States:
None
Teams
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez (captain), 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Jan Serfontein.
United States: 15 Blaine Scully, 14 Brett Thompson, 13 Folau Niua, 12 Andrew Suniula, 11 Zach Test, 10 Shalom Suniula, 9 Niku Kruger, 8 Samu Manoa (captain), 7 John Quill, 6 Danny Barrett, 5 Matthew Trouville, 4 Louis Stanfill, 3 Chris Baumann, 2 Phil Thiel, 1 Oliver Kilifi.
Replacements: 16 Joe Taufetee, 17 Zach Fenoglio, 18 Mate Moeakiola, 19 Titi Lamositele, 20 Cam Dolan, 21 Al McFarland, 22 Mike Petri, 23 Chris Wyles.
Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
By Paul Dobson
@rugby365com
