South Africa v Romania LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and reaction as Springboks run riot

South Africa 76-0 Romania: The Springboks thump the Oaks with a 12-try thrashing in Bordeaux

(PA)

South Africa thrashed Romania 76-0 to secure a bonus-point win in Bordeaux and mirror the ominous form shown by Pool B leaders Ireland in the Rugby World Cup’s toughest group.

The Springboks, despite 14 changes from the win versus Scotland in their opener, were merciless against Romania, who beat the 74-point margin from their 82-8 opening loss to Ireland, racking up the bonus point inside 20 minutes.

After missing out on a bonus point in their opener, South Africa’s goal was to score as many tries as possible to keep up with Ireland and ran in a dozen with scores for Cobus Reinach (3), Makazole Mapimpi (3), Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie, Grant Williams (2) and Willie Le Roux as well as a penalty try.

Few teams in World Cup history have had tougher opening fixtures than Romania after they faced an Ireland side on a 13-game winning streak and now the world champions but they look a shadow of the side that posed a real threat in the 1990s.

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South Africa vs Romania latest updates

• South Africa thrash Romania with a 12-try showing their second Rugby World Cup game
• FULL-TIME! South Africa 76-0 Romania
• 74’ - TRY! Le Roux gets his first World Cup try (RSA 76-0 ROM)
• 67’ - TRY! Mapimpi completes his hat-trick (RSA 71-0 ROM)
• 63’ - TRY! Mapimpi races clear down the left for long-range score (RSA 64-0 ROM)
• 62’ - TRY! Williams crashes over after neat move off the scrum (RSA 59-0 ROM)
• 55’ - TRY! Williams shows his pace for an eighth try (RSA 52-0 ROM)
• 53’ - TRY! The Springboks scrum earns a penalty try (RSA 45-0 ROM)
• 43’ - TRY! Fourie rumbles over from a driving maul (RSA 38-0 ROM)
• 24’ - TRY! Reinach completes his hat-trick from close range (RSA 33-0 ROM)
• 12’ - TRY! Willemse wraps up the bonus point inside 12 minutes with an individual score (RSA 26-0 ROM)
• 9’ - TRY! Reinach races through a gap at the base of the ruck for a simple try (RSA 19-0 ROM)
• 7’ - TRY! Mapimpi goes over after a neat inside pass from Le Roux (RSA 12-0 ROM)
• 3’ - TRY! Reinach snipes over from the scrum (RSA 5-0 ROM)

[17 September 2023 14:56 · Luke Baker]

HALF-TIME! South Africa 33-0 Romania

So far, so straightforward for South Africa.

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(EPA)

(AFP via Getty Images)

[17 September 2023 14:49 · Luke Baker]

HALF-TIME! South Africa 33-0 Romania

And that’s half-time. Pretty much a perfect half for the Springboks who have dominated and blown Romania away with five tries.

The game is over as a contest - what positional experiments will Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus try in the second half?

(PA)

[17 September 2023 14:48 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 39 mins

I don’t have any real desire to sit here and talk about refereeing decisions but Jean Kleyn can consider himself very lucky the TMO didn’t take another look at that tackle. It looks high, shoulder makes contact with the head and the ball carrier didn’t appear to be falling... He could’ve been in real trouble.

Anyway, it’s just started to absolutely pelt it down. Biblical levels of rain which will make handling interesting...

[17 September 2023 14:46 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 37 mins

Things getting a shade untidy from the Springboks, becoming a bit loose in possession.

A high tackle from Jean Kleyn then penalised (although the TMO doesn’t take a look despite it being a shoulder to the head...) and the Oaks kick to the corner.

This is their best chance to score and they secure the lineout but the Springboks win the penalty as Kwagga Smith gets over the ball and Adrian Motoc is turned over.

[17 September 2023 14:42 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 35 mins

It’s not often that Grant Williams loses a foot-race but on this occasion, the ball just wins as Willemse’s grubber through that the winger/scrum half chases, just bounces dead.

Cursing the small in-goal areas here in Bordeaux, I’m sure.

[17 September 2023 14:41 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 34 mins

Another Romania lineout stolen - it’s fallen to pieces here. But when they get the ball back on their own 22, centre Taylor Gontineac makes a break from the base of a ruck and makes 25 metres.

The Springboks scramble back to cover though.

[17 September 2023 14:39 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 32 mins

Good defence by the Springboks, driving ball-carriers backwards at the collision. Eventually, the ball is knocked loose, the Oaks are pinged at the breakdown and Willemse boots miles clear.

Solid defensive set, that

[17 September 2023 14:37 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 29 mins

Oooh, a rare Le Roux error as he fumbles a fairly aimless Simionescu kick. It has started to rain in Bordeaux, so the ball may be getting slippy.

The Oaks have a scrum on the Boks 22. Can they get on the scoreboard here?

[17 September 2023 14:35 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 33-0 Romania, 28 mins

A couple of scrum resets but it ends with the Springboks having controlled the set-piece and having an attacking base to build from.

Great clearance kick by Marius Simionescu though, when Willemse probes with a grubber through.

[17 September 2023 14:31 · Luke Baker]

TRY! South Africa 33-0 Romania (Cobus Reinach, 24 mins)

And Cobus Reinach does complete his hat-trick. The scrum absolutely pulverises the Romanian pack and the scrum half picks up at the back and dives over the line.

Easy peasy. Reinach does what he did against Canada in Kobe four years ago, albeit a few minutes slower this time.