South Africa's scrum-half Cobus Reinach runs to score a try during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Canada at the Kobe Misaki Stadium in Kobe on October 8, 2019. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
During the Springbok’s Rugby World Cup match against Namibia, an excited TV commentator screamed, as Makazole Mapimpi headed for the try line: “No one can stop him!”
What he should have said was: “No Namibian can stop him.” It would have been an altogether different matter were Mapimpi trying to cross the All Blacks’ line.
Teams look good when their opposition is weak – and that is something fans need to have top of mind after yesterday’s crushing 66-7 win by the Boks over minnows Canada.
It sent SA into the quarterfinals of the tournament … but don’t read too much into the victory.
Firstly, Canada were even further weakened by getting a red card in the first half, which reduced them to 14 men.
Even so, they still managed to score a try and there were some errors on the part of the Boks.
But, it was entertaining to see the expansive, running rugby the South Africans produced – although they will not be able to play that way against the fitter, more talented sides they will face from now on. There simply won’t be the sort of holes that there were in Canada’s defence yesterday. The real World Cup campaign starts now.
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