As an exercise in finding answers to some pressing questions, the Boks’ 76-0 demolition of a game, but outgunned Romania, served a purpose 

The Boks scored 12 tries with hat-tricks for scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and wing Makazole Mapimpi, as well as a brace for wing Grant Williams in this Pool B encounter. 

South Africa came out of the match without any obvious serious injuries (although prop Vincent Koch hurt a knee in the warm-up) and no disciplinary issues. That was some of the good news. But there was more. 

A hefty win was always on the cards, but the real victory for the Boks was being able to see Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden getting some needed game time at hooker. 

Grant Williams of South Africa runs with the ball during the Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match between South Africa and Romania at Stade de Bordeaux on 17 September 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini / Gallo Images)

The pair shared the front-row duties during the second half after captain Bongi Mbonambi was substituted at halftime to prevent the risk of him being injured with Ireland looming in Paris next week. 

Fourie took four lineout throws and found his mark every time, although they were admittedly to the front of the lineout where the huge frame of RG Snyman made it a bit easier. 

Van Staden then took over the throwing duties and also hit his mark without fail, although his throws were also predominantly to the front. 

Both Fourie and Van Staden, who started the day as flank, were impressive in the loose too. Fourie scored a try from the back of a rolling maul early in the second half to add some gloss to his Rugby World Cup (RWC) debut. 

Other questions that needed answering were also well handled. Faf de Klerk gave a strong cameo at flyhalf while Jean Kleyn was impressive at No 4 lock. 

Kleyn stole multiple Romania throws and was a physical presence in the loose. With Eben Etzebeth still not guaranteed to start against Ireland because of a shoulder injury, Kleyn might find himself in the thick of things at Stade de France next week. 

Cobus Reinach of South Africa scores a try during the Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match between South Africa and Romania at Stade de Bordeaux on 17 September 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini / Gallo Images)

Lock Jean Kleyn wins the ball in the line-out during the Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match between South Africa and Romania at Stade de Bordeaux on 17 September 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini / Gallo Images)

Keeping shape 

The Boks were mightily impressive all round in difficult conditions, with a torrential downpour just before halftime. Despite the ease of their win, they maintained good structure, using their traditional weapons of set power, good tactical kicking and strong defence to lay a strong foundation. 

The Boks dominated every facet of play and were masterful at the breakdown, with Kwagga Smith and Duane Vermeulen particularly brutal on the eastern Europeans in that area. 

Considering the pressure they were under, Romania unsurprisingly fell foul of referee Mathieu Raynal and conceded 18 penalties, mostly at the breakdown and in the scrum. 

“We just kept it simple, we stuck to our plan, we kept it tight, because all respect to Romania — they’re tough in contact and full of pride and we knew it was going to be difficult,” Mbonambi said after the match. 

Romania were not able to create any meaningful pressure though, which does leave those positional experiments with a slight question mark against them. 

How will Van Staden cope with a James Ryan or Tadgh Beirne contesting his throws at a lineout? How will De Klerk fare at flyhalf with a marauding Bundee Aki in his face? 

Clean sheet 

But coach Jacques Nienaber could only make do with what was in front of him and in that sense the match was a huge success for the Boks. 

The Boks maintained another clean sheet as well, despite changing 14 of the starting lineup between their opening fixture against Scotland and this one. 

The Boks last conceded a World Cup try in the 2019 semifinal against Wales — one of only four they let in during that entire tournament in Japan. This year after two matches in France, they have conceded a miserly three points. 

They actually made more tackles than Romania (131 to 109), underlining their appetite for grafting even when it was all going their own way.  

The wholesale changes didn’t have an impact on the cohesiveness of the defence, in particular, while the attack purred well in the face of scant pressure. 

The Boks had to deal with the late withdrawal of Koch, who cried off in the warm-up with a knee injury. The severity of the problem was immediately unclear, but it was enough to force him out of the match and raise concerns over his long-term future in the tournament. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Rugby World Cup 2023

South Africa’s Damian Willemse in action during the Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Romania in Bordeaux, France, 17 September 2023. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Caroline Blumberg)

Fast start 

It looked as if the Springboks were going to notch up a century thanks to their rate of scoring in the opening quarter, which yielded five tries in 17 minutes. 

Romania were simply and not surprisingly blown off the park. But due to a combination of rain, Romania finding some rhythm and the Springboks being lulled into sloppiness before halftime, the damage was limited to one further try for the remainder of the half. 

Scrumhalf Reinach scored his second Rugby World Cup hattrick, in 24 minutes, while Damian Willemse and Makazole Mapimpi also scored first-half tries. 

Makazole Mapimpi of South Africa is tackled by Marius Simionescu of Romania during the Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match between South Africa and Romania at Stade de Bordeaux on 17 September 2023 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini / Gallo Images)

After the break, Fourie rumbled in from a rolling maul to strike the right tone at the beginning of the second stanza. 

Williams scored two sharp tries with some nice angled runs and Mapimpi struck his second from long range after Jaden Hendrikse turned the ball over on his own 22. 

It was quickly moved left where De Klerk, at flyhalf, spotted space wide with Willie le Roux feeding Mapimpi with more than 60m to go. Mapimpi hit the afterburners and produced a great step to score his eighth World Cup try. His ninth followed minutes later when Le Roux put him away again. 

The Boks also earned a penalty try with the dominant scrum marching to the line, and they had two tries chalked off for marginal infringements. 

It was a job well done as the tournament moves into the business stage. DM 

Scorers 

South Africa – Tries: Cobus Reinach (3), Makazole Mapimpi (3), Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie, penalty try, Grant Williams (2), Willie le Roux. Conversions: Willemse (5), Faf de Klerk (2).