Schalk Burger, Francois Steyn and Bryan Habana crossed for the Boks before Takudzwa Ngwenya scored a brilliant try for the US to make it 24-10.

South Africa ran in six more tries after the interval while Chris Wyles crossed for the Eagles.

The Boks suffered a major scare when Habana went off with blood pouring from his face after a clash of heads.

Coach Jake White is confident the 24-year-old wing will be fit for next weekend’s quarter-final against Fiji in Marseilles.

But tight-head prop BJ Botha was forced off with a knee problem which looks like keeping him out of the game amd could end his tournament.

“Bryan’s fine – he’s got some stitches in his right cheek,” said White. “Botha I think will be ruled out. He’s done damage to knee ligaments.

“Whether they have to operate or not we’ll decide on Monday but I think he’s probably out and we’ll have to replace him.

South Africa, who finished five points clear of England, scored the opening try after nine minutes through Burger, playing out of position at number eight on his return from a two-match ban.

Montgomery converted before adding a penalty to put South Africa 10-0 up.

The Boks enjoyed territorial dominance as the half wore on but the US defended bravely and even trimmed the gap through a Hercus penalty.

Steyn then stepped his way through the Eagles’ midfield for the second before Habana sizzled over on the end of an overlap for his 27th try for South Africa.

Montgomery converted both to make it 24-3 before the US scored a try of the tournament contender.

Todd Clever intercepted five metres from his own line and produced a big hand-off to get rid of Butch James before feeding supporting second row Alec Parker.

He found Hercus in support and the fly-half looped out a sumptuous pass to right winger Ngwenya, who had half the length of the pitch to go and Habana to beat.

Habana offered him the outside and, after some dancing footwork to get the South African star off balance, Ngwenya took him on before scorching over in the corner and running round under the posts.

Hercus converted to make it 24-10 at the break but Habana, who must have spent the interval fuming, raced over for his second try just two minutes after the re-start.

Replacement prop CJ van der Linde soon bullocked over, with Montgomery converting, but the Boks then put themselves in deep trouble as they tried to run from their own line.

The USA sent the ball left and Wyles crashed over, and it became a bad couple of minutes for South Africa as they lost Habana after he over-enthusiastically chased the restart and clashed heads with Ngwenya.

Two more tries, from Fourie du Preez and Jaque Fourie, brought up the half century for the Boks before Fourie grabbed his second try.

With six minutes left the USA introduced Thretton Palamo, aged all of 19 years and two days, to become the youngest ever player to feature in the World Cup.

He enjoyed one powerful carry, while there was still time left for Springbok flanker Juan Smith to romp over as South Africa and the USA ensured the pool stages at the 2007 World Cup ended in hugely entertaining fashion.

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South Africa: Montgomery; Ndungane, Fourie, Steyn, Habana; James, Du Preez; Du Randt, Smit (capt), BJ Botha, Van den Berg, Matfield, Van Heerden, Smith, Burger.
Replacements: Du Plessis, Van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Skinstad, Pienaar, Pretorius, Pietersen, Olivier.

USA: Wyles; Ngwenya, Eloff, Esikia, Sika; Hercus (capt), Erskine; MacDonald, Lentz, Osentowski, Parker, Mangan, Stanfill, Clever, Payne.
Replacements: Burdette, Moeakiola, Aylor, Bloomfield, Petri, Malifa, Palamo.

United States coach Peter Thorburn has made three changes to his team.

Centre Philip Eloff replaces Albert Tuipulotu, Hayden Mexted is in for Mike Mangan at lock, and Fifita Mounga for Henry Bloomfield at number eight.

USA: Chris Wyles, Salesi Sika, Philip Eloff, Vahafolau Esikia, Takudzwa Ngwenya, Mike Hercus (c), Chad Erskine; Mike MacDonald, Owen Lentz, Chris Osentowski, Alec Parker, Hayden Mexted, Louis Stanfill, Todd Clever, Fifita Mounga.
Replacements: Blake Burdette, Matekitonga Moeakiola, Mark Aylor, Henry Bloomfield, Mike Petri, Valenese Malifa, Albert Tuipulotu.

Eagles prop Mike MacDonald made the score 13-8 with a try in the corner but Tonga responded through Joseph Vaka.

USA flanker Louis Stanfill then crossed from close range but Viliami Vaki’s superb score sealed victory for Tonga.

After restricting World Cup holders England to a mere 18-point margin, the Eagles would have been perfectly content to bask in the glow of their most recent performance for a few more days.

However, it’s Brian Ashton’s men who must ponder until Friday, when they face the impressive South Africa in what could be a worrying non-event.

Yet, with just three full days’ recuperation, USA coach Peter Thorburn will surely not allow his charges to find themselves in the clouds, as the fresh Tongans present an especially stern test.

So, it will be the Eagles versus the Sea Eagles, with the latter opening their World Cup account six days after the ceremony.

The Islanders’ population of 100,000, roughly the same as Bath, means that they are the smallest country to reach the finals.

However, coach Quddus Fielea is in no mood to celebrate that fact as he intends to hit the ground running in Montpellier.

“This is the best team we’ve ever had. It is the first time we have all the players available for the World Cup,” he said.

And there will be some familiar faces on show with former Sale and Newcastle Falcon Epi Taione – Paddy Power to those pandering to sponsorship larks, and the affectionately-known ‘Tongan Torpedo’ Nili Latu in their ranks.

But what can the World Cup expect from a side tipped to hover under the Pool heavyweights?

They arrive in France on the back of a 26-14 warm-up win over Edinburgh in Scotland, but are sure to hit new heights with a squad full of promise.

The Teams:

United States: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Salesi Sika, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Vahafolau Esikia, 11 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 10 Mike Hercus (c), 9 Chad Erskine, 8 Henry Bloomfield, 7 Todd Clever, 6 Louis Stanfill, 5 Mike Mangan, 4 Alec Parker, 3 Chris Osentowski, 2 Owen Lentz, 1 Mike MacDonald.
Replacements: 16 Blake Burdette, 17 Matekitonga Moeakiola, 18 Hayden Mexted, 19 Inaki Basauri, 20 Mike Petri, 21 Valenese Malifa, 22 Albert Tuipulotu.

Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Tevita Tu’ifua, 13 Sukanaivalu Hufanga, 12 Epeli Taione, 11 Joseph Vaka, 10 Pierre Hola, 9 Soane Havea, 8 Finau Maka, 7 Nili Latu (c), 6 Hale T-Pole, 5 Paino Hehea, 4 Lisiate Fa’aoso, 3 Kisi Pulu, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Ephraim Taukafa, 17 Toma Toke, 18 Viliami Vaki, 19 Lotu Filipine, 20 Sione Tu’ipulotu, 21 Isileli Tupou, 22 Aisea Havili.

The team shows several changes from that which recorded a 26-14 win over Edinburgh in their final warm-up match in Scotland last month.

The only change to the backline sees Soane Havea at scrum-half in place of Sione Mone Tu’upulota.

There is a reshuffle among the loose forwards, with Finau Maka coming in at number eight and Hale T-Pole moving to the blindside flank – in place of Viliami Vaki, who drops down to the replacement bench.

The other changes see Lisiate Fa’aoso at lock for Inoke Afeaki and Kisi Pulu at tighthead prop for Taufa’ao Filise.

With victories a rare feat for Tonga at World Cup tournaments, the Pacific Islanders sense a victory in the offing against the US Eagles.

The Tongans are ranked one spot higher than the Eagles, at No.14 on the International Rugby Board (IRB) world rankings.

The Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles), who have a large proportion of European-based players in their squad, are chasing their third win at the World Cup after downing Ivory Coast 29-11 in 1995 and Italy 28-25 in 1999.

Their physicality is their forte and they fancy their chances of rattling the Americans with what they believe is the strongest squad they have ever assembled.

“This is the best team we’ve ever had. It is the first time we have all the players available for the World Cup,” said coach Quddus Fielea.

Assistant coach Ellis Meachen said the team’s challenge was to get all the overseas players on the same wavelength as the home-based squad members.

“We have a lot of overseas players so it is important we get everyone into the same mentality,” Meachen said.

“Players focus on different things at their clubs so getting the boys together for the national team is something to focus on.”

Tonga: 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Tevita Tu’ifua, 13 Sukanaivalu Hufanga, 12 Epeli Taione, 11 Joseph Vaka, 10 Pierre Hola, 9 Soane Havea, 8 Finau Maka, 7 Nili Latu (c), 6 Hale T Pole, 5 Paino Hehea, 4 Lisiate Fa’aoso, 3 Kisi Pulu, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Ephraim Taukafa, 17 Toma Toke, 18 Viliami Vaki, 19 Lotu Filipine, 20 Sione Tu’ipulotu, 21 Isileli Tupou, 22 Aisea Havili.

The score was just 3-3 after 20 minutes before two Olly Barkley penalties edged England 9-3 clear in Lens on Saturday.

Jason Robinson and Barkley added tries late in the first half to help them into a 21-3 lead at the break.

Tom Rees scored their third try after 48 minutes but England could not lift their game and the USA had the final word through Matekitonga Moeakiola.

England may have gone into the match as defending champions but the current side is a pale shadow of the World Cup-winning team and, on this display, their chances of repeating the 2003 victory look remote to say the least.

The build-up to their title defence was progressing so badly under Andy Robinson that he was replaced as coach by Brian Ashton in December.
 
Despite Ashton’s reputation as a rugby visionary his side struggled to play with any width during their three warm-up games and they continued to look desperately short of pace and skill against the USA.

They started very slowly and although Barkley made a couple of good breaks an early exchange of penalties by the England fly-half and opposite number Mike Hercus meant the score was only 3-3 after the first quarter.

And the world champions nearly conceded the first try when Hercus read a forced pass and intercepted beautifully, but his inside pass to Paul Emerick saw the Dragons centre halted by a blatant trip by England captain Phil Vickery.

England finally edged back in front when Barkley, in for the injured Jonny Wilkinson, kicked a penalty after hands in the ruck by the USA after 22 minutes.

And when centre Vahafolau Esikia infringed in exactly the same way just after the half hour mark he was yellow carded and Barkley made it 9-3 to England.

It took a break from Josh Lewsey to finally open the Eagles up and when England recycled the ball Mike Catt’s pin-point kick floated into the hands of Robinson, who crossed untouched.

It was hardly as momentous as the former Great Britain rugby league winger’s try for England in the 2003 final.

But his broad smile showed just how pleased England were to have finally crossed an opponents’ line for the first time in 176 minutes of action.

They did not have long to wait for their second score as another break from the hard-running Lewsey and a superb delayed pass from Ben Kay put Barkley over for a fine try.

The Bath fly-half had been one of the few England players to impress in the first 40 minutes and he slotted the conversion to make it 21-3 at the break.

Their third try came after 48 minutes when 22-year-old Wasps open-side flanker Rees, the youngest man in the starting XV, took a quick tap penalty five metres out and powered over.

Barkley added the conversion to make it 28-3 but not only was the try not a signal that the floodgates were about to open, it was to be England’s final score of the match.

Their continued inability to move the ball wide with any conviction was all too apparent and a series of lost line-outs and knock-ons prevented them developing any momentum.

So poorly were England playing that the USA actually took control of the final stages and the Eagles, who only have a handful of professionals, scored a deserved try through giant replacement prop Moeakiola.

Former Sale, Scarlets and Dragons fly-half Hercus landed the conversion to make it 28-10.

England ended the match with only 14 men after Lawrence Dallaglio was sent to the sin bin after infringing during the build-up to the try.

And the floundering world champions’ failure to secure a bonus point for scoring four or more tries could prove costly.

The match ended on a sour note as Emerick was yellow carded for a spear tackle on Barkley, England’s stand-out player, but the incident should not detract from a brave USA performance.

England’s next encounter is with group favourites South Africa on Friday in Paris.

The world champions have plastered their dressing rooms with the letters STW – standing for Shock the World – but at the moment it would be a shock if they manage to provide the Springboks with even a half decent contest