South Africa - 72 Uruguay - 6 Joost van der Westhuizen believes South Africa's 1999 quarter-final victory over England has no relevance to their World Cup showdown
The Springboks will go into next Saturday's pivotal Pool C encounter at Subiaco Oval after thrashing Uruguay in record-breaking fashion.
South Africa's all-time biggest World Cup win saw them score 12 tries, with skipper van der Westhuizen claiming a hat-trick and centre Jaque Fourie and Danie Rossouw both collecting debut touchdowns.
Attention in the Springboks' camp has switched to England, but van der Westhuizen says there is nothing they can take out of their thumping 44-21 triumph four years ago when outhalf Jannie De Beer dropped a world record five goals.
"Since 1999, the game of rugby has changed a lot," he said. "Defensive and attacking structures now make it a totally different game, and there is nothing we can take out of what happened in 1999."
Much of the pre-match hype this week will revolve around South Africa's discipline. They scarred last November's clash against England at Twickenham, when they lost 53-3, through some brutal tactics, and any repeat is likely to cost them dear.
"As we said on arrival in Australia, we are here to play our style and brand of rugby, within the law. That's what we want to do," said Springboks coach Rudolf Straeuli.
And van der Westhuizen added: "We want to show people with our play on the field, that there is nothing wrong with the side. We are here to enjoy the World Cup."
South Africa's controversial captain Corne Krige is expected to return for the England clash after a hamstring injury, and Straeuli knows he will need all his main players firing.
"England is a step up in terms of defence, attack and tactical ploys," Straeuli said.
The Springboks, whose World Cup build-up was marred by racism allegations off the pitch and foul play on it, swept Uruguay aside in emphatic fashion. They scored six first-half tries to leave Uruguay gasping, and then further turned the screw as their pace and power took a terrible toll on "Los Teros".
Apart from van der Westhuizen, eight other Springboks crossed the Uruguayan line - Fourie, Rossouw, Bakkies Botha (2), Joe van Niekerk, Richard Bands, Thinus Delport, Werner Greeff and Hendro Scholtz. Outhalf Louis Koen kicked six conversions.
Uruguay were predictably brave, especially in defence, yet they could not cope with South Africa's superior physical power, and managed just two Diego Aguirre penalties.
Uruguay must now go back to the drawing board ahead of a midweek appointment with Samoa, and they looked shell-shocked in the aftermath of such a drubbing.
"I didn't expect it to be such a big loss," said Uruguay coach Diego Ormaechea. "But we did show some good things, and the team is better than what people saw out there. Our rugby is better than it was in the 1999 World Cup (Uruguay lost 39-3 to South Africa on that occasion) but the other teams have developed much more than us. The difference now is so big."
Aguirre paid tribute to South Africa's physical prowess, adding: "They play a very physical game, and there were times when we just couldn't stop it."
SOUTH AFRICA: W Greeff; A Willemse, J Fourie, D Wet Barry, T Delport (R Loubscher 68 mins); L Koen (D Hougaard 62 mins) J van der Westhuizen (capt, N de Kock 61 mins); L Sephaka, D Coetzee, (J Smit 58), R Bands, (F Rautenbach 58), B Botha, V Matfield (S Boome 68), J van Niekerk, D Rossouw (H Scholtz 76), J Smith.
URUGUAY: J Pastore; A Cardoso (J Menchaca 46 mins), D Aguirre (capt), M Mendaro, E Ibarra; S Aguirre, E Caffera (B Amarillo 62 mins); R Sanchez (E Berruti 73 mins), D Lamelas (J Andres Perez 73 mins), P Lemoine (G Storace 77 mins), J Carlos Bado, J Alzueta, N Brignoni (H Ponte 60 mins), M Gutierrez (N Grille 46 mins), R Capo.
Referee: P O'Brien (New Zealand)
