Rugby World Cup

South Africa 36 v England 0

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — J.P. Pietersen scored two tries Friday for South Africa to thrash England 36-0, forcing the 2003 world champions to win their remaining two Group A matches to continue their title defence.

It was England's worst World Cup defeat, surpassing its 44-21 loss in the quarterfinals at the 1999 edition — also to the Springboks and also at the Stade de France. It also was the first time England had failed to trouble the scorers in a Test match since 1998, when they lost 18-0 against South Africa in Cape Town.

The Springboks will now almost certainly play the loser of Saturday's Australia-Wales Group B game in Cardiff in the quarterfinals, while England still has to beat Tonga and Samoa to advance to the last eight as runner-up.

Flanker Juan Smith also scored and fullback Percy Montgomery had 18 points. Scrum half Fourie du Preez was outstanding, setting up all three tries, directing his forwards and constantly threatening England's fragile defence.

With first-choice flyhalves Jonny Wilkinson and Olly Barkley out injured, England's diabolical kicking game ensured it played most of the match within its own half and without the ball. "We're very disappointed about the game and the performance. Early on, we gave them opportunities to score and they took them," said captain Martin Corry. "They showed great finishing expertise but we gave them those opportunities."

South Africa kicked high early to test England's revamped back three of Josh Lewsey, Jason Robinson and Paul Sackey. But it was Du Preez's ball-in-hand instincts that created a sixth-minute try.

His pass allowed Pietersen to beat England No. 9 Shaun Perry down the short side and race into the England 22. The ball was fed back to Du Preez, who slipped as the defence arrived, but he offloaded for Smith to go over.

Montgomery, who equalled former scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen for most South African test appearances at 89, converted for 7-0. A penalty by No. 12 Francois Steyn in the 11th extended the lead.

Two minutes later, referee Joel Jutge, in one of several first-half decisions to go against England, ruled play on when Sackey looked to be tackled without the ball after kicking a loose pass ahead 40 meters out from the line.

Springbok centre Jaque Fourie squandered a try in the 22nd after an opportunistic kick by Steyn, losing the ball over the line in a last-ditch tackle by Lewsey with flying winger Bryan Habana unmarked and in support.

It was a lucky reprieve for England. Struggling to get out of its own territory, England couldn't compete with the Springboks' power at the breakdown nor its lineout technique. While the judicious kicking of Butch James, Steyn and Montgomery couldn't have been in starker contrast to the wastefulness of fly-half Mike Catt or the ponderous Andy Farrell at No. 12.

One sharp-stepping, 40-meter run by Robinson took play over halfway, but Farrell kicked into touch and the momentum was lost with England rarely even competing against Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield at lineouts.

Montgomery kicked another penalty, but it soon got worse for the 2003 world champions.

A loose pass by the Springboks inside their own half was halfheartedly pursued by Farrell, who missed the ball, and Du Preez had a 3-on-1 overlap on the right flank as he sped into England territory. He drew the stranded Robinson and Pietersen raced over to score in the 38th as South Africa took an unassailable 20-0 halftime lead.

Montgomery kicked two penalties after the break to take the match further away from England.

On one of England's rare excursions into the South Africa 22, lock Ben Kay's ham-fisted attempted at a left-footed chip and chase appropriately ended one of his team's few chances to score.

England's chances of progressing further in the tournament was struck a further blow when Robinson, easily England's best player, left the field in the 58th with a left hamstring injury.

In the 64th, Du Preez set up the third try — Pietersen's second — when he ran around England's lagging defenders on the fringes and passed for the Springbok winger to go over untouched on the right flank.

Montgomery landed his seventh straight kick for 36-0 to complete the whitewash.