South Africa pulled off a great escape to come from nine points behind and beat England 16-15 at the death this morning keeping alive their title defence at the Rugby World Cup and setting up a blockbuster final against their fiercest rivals New Zealand.
One of them will win a record fourth Rugby World Cup and – after England's agonising exit – the trophy is once again set to stay in the southern hemisphere.
The Springboks trailed for the entire semifinal against England until replacement first five-eighth Handre Pollard kicked a 78th-minute penalty from near halfway to edge them thrillingly ahead.
Handre Pollard says it’s unbelievable and a lot of relief in this moment as they weren’t at their best especially in that first half.
He says they had so much more to give but fair play to England, who put them under pressure in exactly the right areas.
That 29-28 win over the French last weekend required South Africa to dig as deep as it ever has at a Rugby World Cup.
Pollard was thrown on in only the 31st minute when it was all going wrong for South Africa.
England executed their gameplan to perfection to be in control, sending kick after kick from the base of the ruck or from Owen Farrell at first five-eighth down onto the Springboks, who struggled with the high bombs all day in the rain in Paris.
From those kicks, England gained the crucial territorial advantage and Farrell kicked four penalties in the first half and a long-range drop goal in the second to put them 15-6 ahead with less than half an hour to play.
South Africa's comeback was down, once again, to their bench players. It started with a try to replacement lock RG Snyman in the 69th minute, which was only the Springboks' second visit to the English 22 of the half with Pollard's conversion putting them two points behind at 15-13.
The Springboks' set-piece misfired for most of the game – mostly down to English pressure – but they won a scrum near halfway in the closing minutes and replacement props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch set themselves for a huge heave.
The scrum went sideways and the Boks won the penalty they were looking for, leaving Pollard to send the highest of pressure goalkicks through the middle.
England came within minutes of sweet revenge having lost finals to South Africa four years ago and in 2007, when the Rugby World Cup was last in France.
The English were largely written off before this tournament but came within a whisker of a huge turn-up and making the final with a brilliantly disciplined and tactically near-perfect game until South Africa snatched it away.
England captain Owen Farrell says after a difficult loss like this all that stands withhim is how proud he is to be English.
Farrell says they can always look back at things but South Africa are a top, top side, and they have shown that over the course of the World Cup.
Source: Stuff.co
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