Sport

Springboks show spark

Pool A/ South Africa 64 USA 10 : South Africa warmed up for their quarter-final with Fiji by running in nine tries in Montpellier…

Mon Oct 01 2007 - 01:00

Pool A/ South Africa 64 USA 10: South Africa warmed up for their quarter-final with Fiji by running in nine tries in Montpellier yesterday. Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie touched down twice, with Schalk Burger, Francois Steyn, CJ van der Linde, Fourie du Preez and Juan Smith also going over.

Percy Montgomery added six conversions and a penalty while Butch James kicked two more conversions.

The Eagles managed tries through Takudzwa Ngwenya and Chris Wyles.

The Springboks took a 24-10 lead into the break. They broke out in the second half. Burger was prominent early on in his first game after suspension and went over for the opener. Montgomery exchanged penalties with Mike Hercus before Todd Clever was sinbinned for the Americans. In the flanker's time in the cooler, the Springboks scored just seven points, Steyn's try converted by Montgomery. Habana added a third. Opposite winger Ngwenya then turned Habana inside out before outsprinting his opponent down the left flank.

READ MORE

Habana got his revenge at the start of the second half when he dived over for a replica of his first try. Van de Linde barged over for the next, but the Americans managed their second through Wyles. Du Preez and Fourie went over either side of the hour mark. Fourie, with his second, and Smith rounded off the try-scoring.

SOUTH AFRICA: Montgomery, Ndungane, Fourie, Steyn, Habana, James, du Preez, du Randt, Smit, B. Botha, van den Berg, Matfield, van Heerden, Smith, Burger. Replacements: Pienaar for Montgomery (66), Pretorius for Steyn (66), Pietersen for Habana (55), du Plessis for du Randt (71), van der Linde for B Botha (25), B. Botha for van den Berg (51), Skinstad for van Heerden (71).

USA: Wyles, Ngwenya, Eloff, Esikia, Sika, Hercus, Erskine, MacDonald, Lentz, Osentowski, Parker, Mangan, Stanfill, Clever, Payne. Replacements: Malifa for Eloff (74), Palamo for Sika (74), Petri for Erskine (74), Moeakiola for MacDonald (49), Burdette for Lentz (74), Bloomfield for Stanfill (74), Aylor for Payne (74). Sin Bin: Clever (23).

Referee: T Spreadbury(England).