South Africa Word, Deeds

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Posted: Thursday October 28, 1999 04:10 PM

LONDON (Reuters) -- World Cup words and deeds from holders South Africa on the way to its semifinal with Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

Group A Matches

The Springboks shrugged off a brave challenge from Five Nations champions Scotland to open the defense of their title with a win at Murrayfield.

South Africa scored six tries coupled with 16 points from the boot of flyhalf Jannie de Beer.

The partisan 62,000 fans packing Murrayfield saw their heroes fight on equal terms with the visitors until the last half-hour.

The Scots led 19-18 after 50 minutes but South Africa then scored two tries in three minutes and were clearly the fresher and most powerful side in the closing stages.

Tries: Brendan Venter, Robbie Fleck, Ollie Le Roux, Deon Kayser, Andre Venter, Joost van der Westhuizen.
Conversion: Jannie de Beer (5).
Penalties: Jannie de Beer (2).

Team: 15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Deon Kayser (21-Peter Muller 72), 13-Robbie Fleck, 12-Brendan Venter, 11-Pieter Rossow; 10-Jannie de Beer, 9-Joost van der Westhuizen (captain); 8-Bobby Skinstad, 7-Andre Venter, 6-Rassie Erasmus (19-Andre Vos 78), 5-Mark Andrews (18-Krynauw Otto 48), 4-Albert van den Berg, 3-Cobus Visagie, 2-Naka Drotske, 1-Os Du Randt (17-Ollie Le Roux 48).

Quote: "Today would not have been good enough to beat Australia and New Zealand." -- Springbok coach Nick Mallett.

Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Date: October 10
Result: South Africa 47-Spain 3

South Africa offered up a disjointed display against 5,000-1 outsiders Spain before winning in a near empty Murrayfield.

The Springboks scored seven tries but did not open their account until 31 minutes had passed against the brave Spaniards.

Handling mistakes and a lack of imagination in attack epitomized a poor performance by the world champions, which fielded what was in essence its reserve team.

Tries: Andre Vos (2), Werner Swanepoel, Anton Leonard, Pieter Muller, Bobby Skinstad.
Penalty try: (1).
Conversions: Jannie de Beer (6).

Team: 15-Breyton Paulse; 14-Stefan Terblanche, 13-Wayne Julies (16-Deon Kayser 26), 12-Pieter Muller, 11-Kaya Malotana, 10-Jannie de Beer, 9-Werner Swanepoel (18-Joost van der Westhuizen 61); 8-Andre Vos (captain), 7-Anton Leonard (19-Bobby Skinstad 61), 6-Ruben Kruger, 5-Krynauw Otto, 4-Fritz van Heerden, 3-Adrian Garvey, 2-Chris Rossouw (22-Naka Drotske 65), 1-Ollie Le Roux (21-Os du Randt 65).

Quote: "Nobody wants to see a match when the result is a foregone conclusion. It was a matter of how many points we would win it by." -- Mallett on why fans had stayed away.

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
Date: October 15
Result: South Africa 39-Uruguay 3

The Springboks recorded an unimpressive 39-3 victory over Uruguay in their last pool match after center Brendan Venter was sent off for stamping.

But it was sufficient for the Springboks to win group A and go straight through to the quarterfinals.

Venter was later suspended for three weeks. The ban ends on the eve of the November 6 final.

Tries: Robbie Fleck, Joost van der Westhuizen, Deon Kayser, Albert van den Berg (2).
Conversions: Jannie de Beer (4).
Penalties: Jannie de Beer (2).

Team: 15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Deon Kayser, 13-Robbie Fleck, 12-Brendan Venter, 11-Pieter Rossouw, 10-Jannie de Beer, 9-Joost van der Westhuizen (captain); 8-Bobby Skinstad, 7-Andre Venter, 6-Rassie Erasmus, 5-Mark Andrews (20-Albert van den Berg 67) 4-Krynauw Otto, 3-Cobus Visagie, 2-Naka Drotske, 1-Os du Randt (21-Ollie Le Roux 52)

Quote: "There was no malice in it. I was not going for the head. I decided to rake his hand to make him release the ball." -- Venter on his being sent off the field.

Quarterfinal

Flyhalf Jannie de Beer struck a world record five drop goals in the second half to steer the Springboks to a defeat of England and a place in the World Cup semifinals.

De Beer notched up a South African record of 34 points as tries by scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen and winger Pieter Rossouw took the Springboks towards a semifinal with Australia.

Tries: Joost van der Westhuizen, Pieter Rossouw.
Conversions: Jannie de Beer (2).
Penalties: Jannie de Beer (5).
Drop Goals: Jannie de Beer (5).

Team: 15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Deon Kayser (16-Stefan Terblanche 66-68), 13-Robbie Fleck, 12-Pieter Muller, 11-Pieter Rossouw; 10-Jannie de Beer, 9-Joost van der Westhuizen (captain); 8-Bobby Skinstad (19-Andre Vos 78), 7-Andre Venter, 6-Rassie Erasmus, 5-Mark Andrews (20-Albert van den Berg 68), 4-Krynauw Otto, 3-Cobus Visagie, 2-Naka Drotske, 1-Os du Randt (21-Ollie le Roux 63).

Quote: "I have not seen a better kicking display in my whole life than what I saw today. He was awesome. I've never seen anything like it and I don't think we will for a long, long time." -- Former Springbok captain Francois Pienaar on de Beer.

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