'Boks steamroll sorry England

England's Jonny Wilkinson, bottom right, tackles Springbok captain John Smit, left, during their first rugby Test match at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Saturday. South Africa won 58-10. PHOTO: AP

South Africa crushed a second-string England by a record 58-10 in the first rugby test at Vodacom Park on Saturday.

Veteran Percy Montgomery kicked 23 points — a South Africa record against England — converting all seven tries and adding three penalties as the Springboks easily surpassed their previous best score against England, a 35-9 win in 1984 at Johannesburg.

The Springboks jumped to a 27-point lead in the first half, then didn't score from the 39th minute to the 70th, whereupon they squeezed in four more tries to blow out the score.

"To score 30 points in the first half of a test match was really pleasing," South Africa coach Jake White said. "We lost a bit of structure in the first half of the second half but we weren't always going to get everything right in five days [of training]. We will try to get it right for the next one."

England, with only star backs Jonny Wilkinson and captain Jason Robinson available from its first-choice lineup, was hit by more injuries and a stomach virus in the buildup, and the match gave coach Brian Ashton even more headaches for the second test in Pretoria next weekend.

Injury-plagued Wilkinson had a back spasm, winger Iain Balshaw was stretchered off with a shin injury and flanker Andy Hazell suffered a medial knee ligament injury. Matt Cairns was unable to take his place on the bench for his debut, so England started without a backup hooker.

"England had a tough week with the virus that ran through their camp," South Africa captain John Smit said. "But I am very pleased that the stuff we were doing in training is coming through in Tests."

South Africa's first try came from England's lineout. Midfielder Jean de Villiers slipped a pass to Montgomery, who just had to get the ball to winger Ashwin Willemse for him to score in his first Test since 2004.

Wing Bryan Habana then latched on to a stray pass after England made a rare attack and ran from his own 22 to outstrip the attempted cover from Robinson.

South Africa showed a willingness to attack from deep and that led to a try for De Villiers. The inside center slipped between two forwards and broke free, wrongfooting the covering defenders to finish off a 60m run.

England 30-3 at halftime and managed to hold the rampant Springboks after the break, holding on to the ball for long periods and testing the defense around the fringes of the rucks.

Their paid off when replacement wing James Simpson-Daniel scored in the corner and Wilkinson converted.

The Springboks seemed galvanized and flanker Schalk Burger, a key player with his tireless tackling and ability to turn the ball over in the tackle, scored a 70th-minute try at the end of a prolonged forward pounding of England's line.

Wilkinson then after a clash of heads with a teammate in attempting to hold out Burger, and his missing experience immediately gave the Springboks another boost.

Scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar fielded a poor kick ahead by Toby Flood and sliced through to set Francois Steyn free to score near the posts. Montgomery then kicked ahead and Habana won the race to the touchdown under Robinson's nose.

Replacement C.J. van der Linde rounded off a free-flowing South Africa attack with a try on the stroke of full-time, with the conversion completing the scoring.

"We're bitterly disappointed, because we know we're a better team than that." Robinson said. "But you can't give away 30 points in the first half."

Scores:

South Africa 58

(Bryan Habana 2, Ashwin Willemse, Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger, Francois Steyn, C.J. van der Linde tries; Percy Montgomery 7 conversions, 3 penalties)

England 10

(James Simpson-Daniel try; Jonny Wilkinson conversion, penalty)

Half-time: 30-3.