On this day: Bok dirt-trackers struggle against Romania, joy for Ivory Coast and Samoa knock out the Pumas

LOOKING back at the Springboks' second match of the 1995 World Cup — their dogged 21-8 defeat of Romania — you gain a deep understanding that this was still very much the amateur era.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

Some 28 years later, the Boks would heavily experiment with their combinations against the same team at the France World Cup, winning 76-0 with their eyes almost closed. But in 1995, there was a clear division between the main team and the so-called dirt-trackers.

At Newlands on May 30, Bulls No 8 Adriaan Richter captained a Bok side that had amassed just 71 caps in total, with James Small contributing 20 of them and flyhalf Hennie le Roux 12.

Fringe players that day included centres Christiaan Scholtz and Brendan Venter, and fullback Gavin Johnson, while there were debuts for a youthful Krynauw Otto (lock), flank Robbie Brink, and tighthead prop Marius Hurter.