The Springboks beat New Zealand 12-11 to win their fourth world title.
➤ With minutes to go:
Yes, it’s wet, but it’s not raining at the moment. If the rain buckets down, it will favour the All Blacks. If the rain stops, it will favour the Boks.
Will the bomb squad overwhelm the All Black scrum? Will the All Black running backline be unstoppable?
Referee Wayne Barnes blows the whistle. Let’s play!
➤ 1st half:
After just two minutes Eben Etzebeth has made a spectacular hit on Richie Mo’unga, but in a separate incident, Bongi Mbonambi stays down. Shannon Frizzel is yellow carded for deliberate foul play and Handré Pollard converts the penalty – a small price to pay for New Zealand when Bongi is replaced by Deon Fourie. Boks 3-0.
Any concerns that the Boks will start slowly is buried when the Springboks dominate the breakdowns. Their tackling is fearsome. An extended period of attack by South Africa results in a penalty. Boks 6-0.
The call comes down that Frizzell’s yellow card – no doubt a deliberate attempt to injury Bongi – will not be turned into a red card.
Playing with a penalty advantage for a full two minutes, the All Blacks attack is finally stopped and Richie Mo’unga scores the three-pointer from right in front. Boks 6-3.
Handré Pollard’s third attempt is his most difficult yet, but the kick is … over!
On 20 minutes the Boks are tested when the All Blacks’ much-revered backline is stopped through great tackling. Pieter-Steph du Toit is a giant. It doesn’t mean anything that Will Jordan fumbles the ball, but it is nice to see!
A minute later Deon Fourie steals the ruck ball from Mark Telea and that is significant.
Captain Sam Cane goes to the sinbin for a cynical tackle on Jesse Kriel.
Again Will Jordan fumbles, this time after a massive hit from Cheslin Kolbe. Is it possible that Smith is having a bad day?
The word comes down from the bunker: “There is no mitigation, Sam Cane’s card is upgraded to a red.” The All Blacks captain will play no further part in the match.
Amid jeers and boos from the New Zealand supporters, Pollard converts a penalty. Boks 12-3.
Mo’unga converts a penalty and we go into halftime with the Boks narrowly in the lead. Boks 12-6.
➤ 2nd half:
At one minute into the half, Siya Kolisi makes a rare bad decision and squanders a big scoring opportunity.
Arendse beats Bauden Barrett to the loose ball and misses a try by inches. The Boks are knocking at the door with both fists.
Eagle-eye TMO Tom Foley steps in and Siya gets a yellow card. 14 against 14. South Africa are without both their captains.
Aaron Smith’s try is reversed when TMO Foley calls playback across the field for a knock-on and a penalty. No try.
Sadly, Siya gets booed when he comes back on the field.
Minutes later, the All Blacks get a try in the same place through Beauden Barrett but Mo’unga misses the conversion. Boks 12-11.
It’s all good and well that the Boks are defending like demons, but they are going to have to find attacking opportunities.
There has not been any score since Barrett’s try ten minutes ago when TMO Tom Foley takes the play back 30 yards and Kolbe gets a yellow card.
Kolbe’s match is over as Jordie Barrett misses the most important penalty kick of his life.
South Africa still lead by one point with five minutes to go.
The All Blacks attack and attack and attack, but they don’t get through.
With less than a minute to go the Boks win a scrum. One final scrum that will decide the World Cup. The scrum is reset. Seven seconds to go. One final put in. It’s over! A third match was won by a single point.
South Africa (0 tries) 12-11 (x1 try) New Zealand
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