England were two minutes away from a glorious victory over South Africa when Steve Borthwick’s biggest Leicester Tigers signing came back to bite the Red Rose boss.
When Handre Pollard booted his penalty from all of 50 metres, South Africa claimed the lead for the first time in Paris – and brave, battling, ferocious England were sunk 16-15.
Pollard was sent into the fray off the bench only 30 minutes in, when Manie Libbok was hauled off after a wretched showing. That brutal change was ultimately vindicated by the final result.
South Africa’s late scrum dominance killed England in the end, thwarting the Red Rose men’s Rugby World Cup final dream. Four-straight Springbok penalties totally turned the momentum on its head.
England had led 15-6 heading into the final quarter-hour, thanks to four Owen Farrell penalties and a monster drop-goal from the Red Rose captain.
Head coach Borthwick’s men had bullied, harassed and dominated the Springboks for the first hour, in a way that hardly anyone had expected. But then the Boks wrestled that scrum advantage, forced their way upfield and struck twice.
First, RG Snyman powered in for the game’s only try, after good work from Kwagga Smith. Then came that moment where Pollard delivered. England attacked again but could not find anything else.
Handre Pollard puts the Springboks ahead!#RWC2023 | #ENGvRSA pic.twitter.com/cJ5oW3T01c
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) October 21, 2023
Borthwick’s men were spent, and at the last, defeated. England were so excellent for so long, and can take great pride and solace.
Full-back Freddie Steward was all-but perfect under the high ball, but it was his late knock-on that handed the Boks the scrum from which they won that decisive penalty. Once all the replacements were sent on, England lost their scrum parity, and the Boks pounced.
South Africa will step forward to take on New Zealand in next weekend’s final, while England will have to face Argentina in the Bronze final play-off.
England dominated the first half entirely. The Red Rose men flew into the Boks from the off, rattling Siya Kolisi and Company. Accurate, aggressive and focused – this was truly the England that Borthwick has sought since taking the helm in December.
Just two minutes in, and England had the lead from a Farrell penalty. Itoje stole a Bok lineout, Pieter-Steph du Toit erred trying a breakdown poach, and Farrell delivered from the tee.
Steward claimed two fine high balls to keep England secure at the back, then Mitchell’s smart box into the corner pegged South Africa back again. Earl zipped off the scrum to set the platform, and when the Boks strayed at the ruck once more, Farrell slotted his second penalty. And then came the half’s crucial sequence. England turned the Boks over from a maul in their own 22, neutering one of their foes’ chief weapons.
An England scrum quickly became a Bok penalty though, when Tuilagi was pinged for throttling Reinach in a shoving match after the whistle. The rattled Boks were resorting to every trick in the book, and Tuilagi bought that one cheaply. South Africa went for the jugular with another driven lineout, seeking a punitive try – only for England to thwart the maul again.
England then packed down for the scrum, and won a huge penalty, to clear their lines and stun their opponents.
Farrell lost his head for a moment with backchat to referee Ben O’Keeffe, to be marched back 10 metres – allowing Libbok to land a penalty.
England hit back again though, Lawes latching onto Damian Willemse’s loose pass in the Bok 22 after a fine tackle from the kick-chasing Steward.
Farrell restored the six point advantage at 9-3, and the Boks’ nerves manifested in a second not-straight lineout and Etzebeth conceding a cheap offside penalty.
South Africa’s coaches had seen enough on 30 minutes, and hooked Libbok in a brutal assessment of the fly-half's performance.
Vunipola – a short-term blood replacement for Curry – lost the ball in contact, and Pollard slotted a penalty with England happy to leak three points rather than seven.
When the Boks leaked another cheap penalty for blocking, Farrell’s fourth goal took England into a 12-6 lead at the interval.
South Africa wasted no time in unloading their potent bench after the break, with captain Kolisi withdrawn and Vermeulen taken off too. England sent Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum into the fray though, with the excellent Martin taken off.
Straight away England ploughed onto the attack, and Farrell landed a sumptuous long-range drop-goal, to push the Red Rose men into a 15-6 lead.
England had won almost all the big moments in the first hour, but were still nowhere near far enough ahead to relax.
The stage was entirely set for an unremitting finale. England leaked two straight scrum penalties after all the replacements, in an ominous sign of events ahead. But Itoje stole a big lineout in his own half, then Jonny May won a stunning ruck turnover after a punishing tackle on Kolbe.
From South Africa’s third scrum penalty in succession, England were picked apart. Pollard punted to the corner, the pack won the lineout and set the platform, and then pounced. Kwagga Smith raced one way, right to the tryline – and when the ball came back, Snyman powered home.
Pollard’s conversion left England leading just 15-13 with 12 minutes to play.
England’s late scrum weakness ultimately paid in brutal fashion, with a fourth-straight penalty concession handing the Boks the chance to steal the night.
Steward, for so long infallible under the high ball, failed to retain his hoist, knocking on. That gave the Boks the set-piece chance they needed, and it was not one they were going to waste.
Pollard stepped up and fired home from all but halfway, to sink England right at the last.
And so South Africa take a step closer to defending their title, moving into a second final in a row.
For England, this was a performance where almost everything went right. Almost everything was not quite good enough – but Borthwick’s men have gone out on their shields and must be praised for this courageous showing.
