Pollard’s late penalty sends South Africa into World Cup last

AFP

Replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked a last-gasp penalty as South Africa by some means discovered a technique to get previous a dominant England on Saturday and declare a 16-15 victory that despatched them right into a World Cup last towards fellow triple champions New Zealand.

The defending champions appeared on the verge of defeat as England’s kicking sport saved them pegged again in their very own half on a wet Paris evening and earned a 15-6 lead, But they hit again with a attempt by RG Snyman earlier than substitute Pollard landed a penalty from nearly on the midway line to grab victory.

It was a second successive single-point victory for the Springboks after they beat France 29-28 and means the 2 superpowers of the game will meet within the last for the second time, after South Africa triumphed on house soil in 1995 of their first look on the match.

“It was really ugly but that is what champions are made of,” mentioned Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.

“Credit to England. They were written off before the World Cup but pulled themselves together and showed who they are. They are not a team you take lightly but to my team, we found a way to fight back into the game.”

For most of Saturday’s match, it perceived to be the 2019 runners-up returning to the ultimate. Coach Steve Borthwick had promised he had a plan to unsettle the world champions however there was nothing radical about their strategy as they kicked relentlessly within the rain and outplayed the Springboks within the air.

That early management earned Owen Farrell two penalty alternatives, each of which he slotted for a 6-0 lead.

Manie Libbok landed one for the Springboks however appeared off the tempo and was changed by Pollard after 31 minutes, who quickly landed a penalty.

England, nevertheless, maintained their disciplined strategy, gaining floor from their deep kicking, and one other Farrell penalty gave them a deserved 12-6 halftime lead.

England, broadly written off and 5-1 outsiders regardless of profitable 5 successive video games from the better aspect of the draw, stretched their result in 15-6 with a superb 47-metre Farrell drop purpose and an upset appeared possible.

HEAVY PRICE

With half an hour to go all of the South African replacements had been on as their coaches desperately sought to discover a foothold, although England had been to pay a heavy value for his or her failure to show their dominance into any extra factors.

Since beating South Africa within the pool stage in 2003, England have now misplaced 5 successive World Cup video games towards them and never managed a single attempt, however even one other penalty might need made the distinction on Saturday.

The Springboks had barely been out of their half earlier than an outstanding touchfinder by Pollard enabled Snyman to cost over for the one attempt of the match.

Pollard transformed to shut to inside two factors 10 minutes from time but it surely was nonetheless England making a lot of the operating till they conceded a scrum penalty with three minutes to go.

Pollard, known as as much as the squad halfway by means of the match to interchange injured hooker Malcolm Marx, duly slotted it with minimal of fuss.

It was the primary time South Africa had led and so they defended England’s last assaults strongly till a knock-on ended the problem.

“We came here believing we would win and the players deserve enormous credit for that,” mentioned Borthwick.

“We have a very smart group of players that are learning very quickly because we have had to do it very quickly. The opposition have had four years and we have had four months. That is why the players deserve enormous credit.”