Stuttering Springboks claim crucial bonus point

CRUICIAL BONUS POINT: Andre Esterhuizen of South Africa. Mandatory Credit Pic: Sports/Steve Haag

Not the box-ticking exercise most expected late on a Sunday night but the world champions got the most important stuff done. A bonus-point win leaves them top of Pool B with all four games played. That’s one point clear of Ireland and five north of Scotland whose Parisian date next week will confirm the final standings.

The Springboks needed a 37-point victory and seven tries to give themselves an extra layer of comfort in the event that all three teams eventually finish on 15 points. They got the seven tries, the last arriving in injury-time, but fell just short of the first marker. Not ideal, but little short of a miracle will keep them from the last eight.

All sorts of permutations were in play before this – and still are – but the bottom line for Andy Farrell’s side when they face their Celtic cousins remains simple: they will progress to the knockout stages as pool winners if they avoid defeat against Scotland, or if they claim two bonus points in defeat.

This wasn’t close to vintage Boks. A lead of 21-8 shrank by five more points when Fine Inisi added to captain Ben Tameifuna’s first try for the underdogs shortly before the interval and Patrick Pellegrini’s third late on could have been joined by even more. Huge credit to the Pacific Islanders after a tough tournament to date.

Coach Toutai Kefu had rued his side’s ‘second-tier’ mistakes against Ireland and Scotland and expressed the hope this last week that the extra time together would show through here against the world champions. It did. They never shirked, never faded away, and they could and maybe should have had more to show for their efforts.

South Africa had three tries to show for their first-half play - from Cobus Reinach, Caanan Moodie and Deon Fourie - but two of them were officially of the ‘soft’ variety. Jesse Kriel, Pollard, Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith claimed their four after the interval.

It was a notable evening for other reasons. Siya Kolisi was captaining his country for the 50th time and Pollard was playing in green and gold for the first time in over a year having been drafted into the squad mid-tournament and into the No.10 jersey here.

His goal-kicking? Well, it was perfect. Pollard clipped over four from four before he was replaced by Manie Libbok and, after all the hand-wringing over his efforts in front of the posts up to now, he started nailing them from wide on either touchline too.

South Africa: W Le Roux; G Williams, C Moodie, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; H Pollard, C Reinach; O Nche, D Fourie, V Koch; E Etzebeth, M Orie; S Kolisi, D Vemreulen, J Wiese.

Replacements: J Kriel for Mapimpi (29); S Kitshoff for Nche and T Nyakana for Koch (both 45); M Libbok for Pollard and J Hendrikse for Reinach (both 51); K Smith for Wiese (51); O Nche for Kitshoff (54); M van Staden for Kolisi (60); S Kitshoff for Nche (60); F Mostert for Orie (61).

Tonga: C Piutau; F Inisi, M Fekitoa, P Ahki, A Tuitavuki; W Havili, A Pulu; S Fisi’ihoi, P Ngauamo, B Tameifuna; L Fefita, S Lousi; T Halaifonua, SH Talitui, S Paea.

Replacements: S Takulua for Pulu and A Coleman for Lousi (both 51); J Apikotoa for Tameifuna (55); S Vailanu for Paea (60); S Moli for Ngauamo (66); A Taumoepeau for Fekitoa (69); T Koloamatangi for Ngauamo and P Pellegrini for Havili (both 71).

Referee: L Pearce (England).