Handre Pollard on Saturday kicked four penalties to help South Africa to a nail-biting 12-11 victory over 14-man New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final to claim a record fourth title.
As is so often the case with finals, the match was a tight, edgy encounter at a rain-soaked Stade de France, where defense ruled and the All Blacks lost captain Sam Cane to a first-half red card for a high tackle.
However, the Springboks prevailed to win a third successive knockout match in this tournament by a point and add to their titles in 1995, 2007 and 2019.
Photo: AFP
“The last three games have been quite tough, each one we have played has been a final and each one we have won by one point,” player of the match Pieter-Steph du Toit said. “As a team we like drama. It has helped us through the last few years. It shows the resilience of this team.”
“We are honored to play for the whole of South Africa and the Springboks. When we go back home it will be a warm welcome for us,” he added.
The ’Boks had led 12-6 at halftime, with Pollard kicking the four penalties to two from Richie Mo’unga. The sole score of the second half was a Beauden Barrett try for the All Blacks.
“There are no ways I can explain it,” said Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who also received a yellow card in the second half for a high hit. “I want to give credit to the All Blacks. They took us to the end, they took us to a dark place.”
“It shows what kind of team they are, to fight with a man down from early in the game. They put us under so much pressure,” he added.
Kolisi credited his side for pulling off the victory.
“People who are not from South Africa don’t understand what it means for our country. It is not just about the game. Our country goes through such a lot,” he said.
“I want to tell the people of South Africa: ‘Thank you so much.’ This team just shows what you can do,” he said. “As soon as we work together, all is possible, no matter in what sphere — in the field, in offices, it shows what we can do. I am grateful for this team, I am so proud of it.”
The game, with tennis stars Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic among the 80,000 spectators, got off to a dramatic start.
All Black flanker Shannon Frizell was yellow carded by referee Wayne Barnes after just two minutes for an illegal ruck clearout that saw ’Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi, the sole specialist No. 2 in the squad, leave the pitch with an injured right knee.
The opening quarter was not for the faint-hearted, each side delivering a succession of eye-watering hits as the ’Boks, whose aggressive defense was led by the outstanding Du Toit, pinned the All Blacks in their own territory.
New Zealand’s woes were compounded when Cane was yellow-carded in the 29th minute for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel, later upgraded to red for a high degree of danger with no mitigation, the television match official said.
Cane became the first player to be shown a red card in a World Cup final and the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men for 46 minutes.
A dejected Cane said afterwards that he was “extremely gutted and disappointed.”
There was disappointment in New Zealand for thousands of supporters who gathered at bars or public venues for the match, which started at 8am local time.
The largest gathering watched a big screen at Auckland’s Eden Park — the scene of New Zealand World Cup final triumphs in 1987 and 2007.
Rugby player Kai Ta’e was ambivalent after the fulltime whistle.
“Extremely proud, but, you know, they had their chances to win,” he said. “That’s footy at the end of the day. Someone’s got to win, someone’s got to lose.”
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