South Africa beats England to challenge New Zealand in final

2 mins

They have come a long way! The reigning South African world champions, trailing throughout the match, took the lead three minutes from time thanks to a penalty from their opener Handré Pollard. The Springboks thus stunned the English who were holding their fifth final in history with a few seconds remaining. We must believe that experience or the force of habit will have guided the world champions who were able to prevent the return of the French in the quarter-finals and overthrow the English in the semi-final.

This meeting will undoubtedly not go down in the annals with a single try scored by the South African Rudolph Snyman, but it delivered its dose of suspense, of tension distilled largely by a surprising English team. Because, against the Boks, the Rose stung from the start and hard: first with four penalties (3rd, 10th, 24th, 40th) and a drop (53rd) from Owen Farrell but above all by taking the Springboks to their own game, in scrum (2 won) as well as in touch (4 touches lost).

Who is the fourth star for?

By responding to the South African physical impact and playing – a lot – on the foot, while relying on a steel defense, the English played with their weapons. And it almost worked!

For seventy minutes, the Boks seemed incapable of responding to the problem posed by England. Until the saving try of the second line RG Snyman (69th), the decisive penalty from Pollard.

In a week, the final between South Africa and New Zealand will therefore be a remake between the first two in the World Rugby rankings: like in 1995. At the time, South Africa won in the pain (15-12, ap) thanks to the footwork of their opener Joël Stransky.

Twenty-eight years after their first title, at home, the South Africans have the opportunity to become the first team to sew a fourth star on their jersey. New Zealand also has the same ambition…

(With AFP)