There was only one team that really warmed the hearts of the London crowd on a rainy night as the Springboks totally outplayed their Japanese counterparts, highlighting the difference between the top-ranked and the 13th ranked teams in the world.
South Africa also sent a friendly reminder to France, Italy, Ireland and Wales – their opponents on the next four Saturdays – that the Boks, fresh off the successful defence of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship title, will demand the very best of their opponents.
Apart from an injury to Ox Nche early in the match, there will be very little that would worry the Bok coaching staff after this display, and once again the replacements showed the impressive depth Rassie Erasmus managed to stockpile over the last couple of seasons.
The writing was on the wall early for Japan, who battled to cope with the pace and precision of their opponents. A delightful performance by Bok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu that contributed 14 points in the first half added to their misery, but the biggest gripe for coach Eddie Jones would be the lack of discipline.
Japan conceded two yellow cards and a penalty try and when you are up against the best strike runners in the world, you will be punished.
The opening try for the Boks came from Siya Kolisi after a lineout maul. A first drive did not deliver, but Japan conceded a penalty in the process and the next lineout, with a slight variation in the drive, resulted in the Bok captain scoring four minutes in.
The next 10 minutes belonged to Feinberg-Mngomezulu, as he dazzled the crowd with two well-taken tries. First, he chased down his own up and under to extend the lead to 14-0 and a couple of minutes later sold a delightful dummy to a scrambling defence to score the third try of the evening. He missed the conversion, but the stage was set for a big win.
A penalty try to the Boks, with Japan once again pulling down a maul, extended the lead to 26-0 and at the break it was clear that there was only going to be one winner in this contest.
Kurt-Lee Arendse scored a second-half brace.
Japan’s relationship with good discipline remained absent in the second half. Just as the yellow card for the collapsed maul expired, a high shot on Kolisi saw another player sent to the sin-bin. To add to their misery, Erasmus unloaded the Bomb Squad and they did not disappoint.
Wilco Louw scored his first Test try soon after joining the fray, with the barging prop getting the five pointer following a lovely inside pass from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who revelled the dominance of his pack and the front-foot ball it created.
To be fair to Japan, they did come to play and their only try was well deserved when Yoshitaka Yazaki scored from a quick-tap penalty near the tryline, and flyhalf Seungsin Lee converted his fullback's try for their first points after 55 minutes.
The Boks responded in kind as Kurt-Lee Arendse scored from a high kick soon after. Manie Libbok converted and the lead was 40-7.
Andre Esterhuizen, who came off the bench to play at flanker, had a try disallowed from a maul, but had the last laugh as he scored under the sticks a couple of minutes later, this time from a series of pick and go's around the ruck. Libbok converted and suddenly 50 became a reality, as the Bok lead surged to 47-7.
That came in the 67th minute when Cheslin Kolbe counter-attacked with his trademark acceleration. He chipped ahead, with Arendse running onto the ball to score. Libbok converted and the lead jumped to 54-7.
Jesse Kriel scored the final try on a night where the skill, precision and execution was on full display, but the joy and fun of the squad executing that, was a highlight of watching the world championships strutting their stuff.
Scorers:
Springboks 61 (26) – Tries: Siya Kolisi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Penalty try, Wilco Louw, Kurt-Lee Arendse (2), Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel. Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3), Manie Libbok (4).
Japan 7 (0) – Try: Yoshitaka Yazaki. Conversion: Seungsin Lee.
