Boks see world cup final decided by kicks All Blacks give retiring legends winning send-off

TOKYO - The Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa is likely to come down to a shoot-out between the kickers’ “golden boots” rather than “brilliant tries”, Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick predicted yesterday.

South Africa have reached the final via an astute kicking game from the hand, a strong defence and a powerful set of forwards that have wrung penalties from opponents punished by accurate flyhalf Handre Pollard.

And Stick suggested today’s showpiece match will be little different, noting that finals have often been won by the finest of margins — coming down to a drop-goal or pressure penalty.

“You don’t get many opportunities to score tries because you are talking about the best two teams in the world currently... I think the kicking games is going to be massive, no pressure Pollie,” joked Stick, pointing at Pollard next to him.

“That’s how World Cups these days are decided.”

Stick referred to the 2003 final — won by England’s flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson with an extratime drop-goal — and the 1995 decider, which became a penalty kick contest between flyhalves Joel Stransky for South Africa and Andrew

Mehrtens for New Zealand.

“If you look at the history of the World Cup, there are few World Cups that were won by brilliant tries... the difference might be on the golden boot between Handre and (England captain Owen) Farrell on the other side.”

Pollard said he was prepared for the pressure that potentially kicking for the trophy brings.

“That’s why you train. That’s why you put in the hours,” he said.

“From being a little boy in the back yard, thinking to yourself ‘This kick’s for the World Cup final’. You’ve basically prepared your whole life for it,” said the flyhalf.

He said that the team that “embraced and enjoyed” the pressure and turned it into energy would probably emerge victorious in today’s final in Yokohama.

Pollard was the key man in South Africa’s win over Wales in the semi-final, kicking the winning penalty goal with four minutes to spare that gave the Springboks their 19-16 victory.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the last four match-ups against England had been tight “arm-wrestles” dominated by the forwards and he did not expect much different for the final.

TOKYO —Veteran winger Ben Smith scored a classy try double as New Zealand beat Wales 40-17 to clinch third spot at the Rugby World Cup yesterday in the perfect send-off for storied coach Steve Hansen.

In what was the final Test for both Hansen and Wales counterpart Warren Gatland, after seven and 12 years at their respective helms, both sides produced an entertaining encounter that saw New Zealand outscore the Welsh by six tries to two.

The result means New Zealand have won 32 of their 35 meetings with Wales, last losing in 1953, while Hansen’s incredible record includes just 10 defeats in 107 Tests in charge.

Richie Mo’unga missed an early penalty, but that was merely a blip as the All Blacks looked to run the ball at every opportunity at a packed Tokyo Stadium. The first try came quickly, the influential Aaron Smith finding skipper Kieran Read, who offloaded to Brodie Retallick, the lock stepping

“I’m expecting that and it’s all about who can handle that the most,” Kolisi said. inside Rhys Patchell and producing a brilliant backhanded pass to Joe Moody, the prop bounding in from 20 metres for a great front rower’s try.

Mo’unga converted and added a second after Beauden Barrett scampered over after a neat Aaron Smith drop-off that left Wales prop Dillon Lewis prone. A sustained period of Welsh pressure then followed and paid off after Patchell found Hallam Amos with a long miss-pass, the full-back dummying Mo’unga and shooting over for a try.

Patchell added the conversion and then a simple penalty, but New Zealand roared back through veteran Ben Smith, the winger jinking his way through a crowded defence after good lead-up work by Read and Liam Coltman.

Smith, 33, got his double on the stroke of halftime, taking a long pass from his namesake Aaron and powerfully handing off Tomos Williams to slide into the corner.

Mo’unga added the extras to leave New Zealand

“You never know, there might be beautiful tries being scored. A lot of things have happened in complete control at 28-10 at half-time.

The cut-and-thrust, running rugby continued in the second period, Ben Smith surging deep into Welsh territory before Sonny Bill Williams provided a perfect offload for centre partner Ryan Crotty to cross for the try.

Both sides were much different from their semifinal line-ups, Hansen having made seven changes to the team which lost 19-7 to England and Gatland nine from the side that went down 19-16 to South Africa.

One ever-present on the team list for Wales, however, has been Josh Adams, and the winger burrowed over from close range for a seventh try of the tournament to usurp Shane Williams’ Welsh record of at a World Cup.

The game became increasingly error-strewn, but Mo’unga stepped through Dan Biggar’s poor tackle for a late try, taking his personal tally to 15 points. — AFP.

this World Cup so you have to be prepared for everything,” added Kolisi. — AFP.