TOYOTA CITY, Japan -- South Africa's electric wing Makazole Mapimpi scored two tries but the Springboks' performance was far from polished as they eased to a nine-try 57-3 win over southern African neighbours Namibia in their Rugby World Cup Pool B clash at City of Toyota Stadium on Saturday.
Billed the 'African Derby', there was only ever going to be one winner despite what Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus termed his 'fringe' selection, and minnows Namibia simply could not cope with the physicality of the South Africans.
Hooker Bongi Mbonambi (two), loose forwards Francois Louw, Schalk Brits and Siya Kolisi, fullback Warrick Gelant and centre Lukhanyo Am also crossed for tries, but there was a lack of cohesion and, at times, quality to the Boks play that will be a worry for Erasmus.
The number of unforced errors made by the Boks was high, especially in the first half, while Elton Jantjies did little to suggest he was pushing Handre Pollard for a starting place at fly-half given his poor decision-making and execution.
Not that Brits, Springboks captain for the day, saw much wrong in the performance.
"I'm really tired but it was a great performance by the boys," Brits said after starting in an unfamiliar number eight role.
"I'm really happy and it's a great game we're playing.
"I'll just play wherever the coach wants me to play. Just to be on the pitch with such a great bunch of guys is phenomenal"
Namibia, made up almost entirely of amateur players, never stopped trying to run the ball but did not manage a single linebreak in the game.
For us, we're just trying to build on our momentum and today was a good test," Namibia skipper Tjiuee Uanivi said.
"They played a great physical game and it's good to measure ourselves against that.
"We're just going to go back and look at the positives and negatives and fix that.
South Africa produced four monstrous attacking scrums early on to show their dominance, and referee Mathieu Raynal showed restraint as Namibia buckled and wheeled under the pressure.
The first three tries were scored from rolling mauls following lineouts, two for Mbonambi and one by Louw, before Mapimpi secured the bonus-point inside 27 minutes with a neat finish out wide.
Namibia fly-half Cliven Loubser replied with a penalty before Am crossed to hand the Boks a 31-3 halftime lead.
They took almost 10 minutes to find their rhythm after the break but added a sixth try as Am sliced through a gap in the defence, Gelant finishing off.
Mapimpi crossed for his second out wide and then regular skipper Kolisi came off the bench to canter in.
Bits added the ninth try with 16 minutes remaining.
South Africa are next in action against Italy on Friday, in a match in Fukuroi City that should decide second place in the pool, while Namibia face the even more daunting prospect of New Zealand in Tokyo on Oct. 6.
