South Africa captain Bongi Mbonambi said on Sunday the holders kept things "simple" as they beat Romania 76-0 in the Rugby World Cup.

Scrum-half Cobus Reinach and winger Makazole Mapimpi scored hat-tricks in wet conditions on Bordeaux.

"We just kept it simple, we stick to our plan, we kept it tight," the hooker said.

"All respect to Romania. They're tough in contact, full of pride and we knew it was going to be difficult," he added.

Mbonambi led his country for the first time in a World Cup, taking over for the game from emblematic skipper Siya Kolisi

"It's a milestone in my career but it's never about one person in this team - we're all doing it for the Springbok jersey."

It was just the second time that Romania, ranked 17th in the world, had featured against South Africa.

Their major annual tournament is the second-tier Rugby Europe Championship

"Of course we need to play at a higher level," Apjok said.

"It makes a difference. All the tier 2 nations need more games each year because it's crucial to be prepared for such games," he added.

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