Bok dirt-trackers struggle against Romania and Samoa knock out 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 fly-half 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.

Following the spectacle of the opening win over Australia, this was a dramatic comedown. The Newlands faithful did their best to inject life into the match, but they were flogging a dead horse.