Rugby World Cup: Springboks on top of the world
South Africa outplays England to clinch third World Cup
Yokohama, Japan - South Africa overpowered England 32-12 with a brutally effective forward display to win its third World Cup in Yokohama on Saturday.
The Springboks' victory was built on a colossal display by their powerhouse pack that allowed fly-half Handre Pollard to kick six penalties before Makazole Mapimpi's 66th
minute try - the first the Springboks had scored in a World Cup final - and another from fit-again fellow flyer Cheslin Kolbe put the result beyond doubt.
Victory ensured South Africa made it three wins from three World Cup final appearances and maintained its record of being crowned champion at 12-year intervals following its 1995 and 2007 triumphs.
Saturday's win also saw South Africa become the first team to win a World Cup having lost in pool play, with the Springboks beaten by reigning champion New Zealand in their Japan 2019 opener. It was a tactical triumph for South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus, who has overseen a Springbok revival after taking charge two years ago following a miserable 2016, and an inspirational moment for captain Siya Kolisi, the team's first black captain. "We are so grateful to the people of South Africa," Kolisi said.
For England, four years on from the humiliation of its firstround exit on home soil in 2015, which led them to appoint Australian coach Eddie Jones, it was a match too far after its quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Australia and New Zealand.
A third defeat in four finals for England was also its second by South Africa, who defeated it 15-6 in the 2007 showpiece when Jones was a consultant to the Springboks. And it meant there was no repeat of England's 2003 World Cup final triumph when it beat an Australia side coached by Jones.
"We just couldn't get on the front foot. We were dominated in the scrum particularly in the first 50 minutes," said Jones.
"They were too good for us at the breakdown today," he added. "Thats the great thing about rugby, one day you're the best team in the world and the next a team knocks you off."
Early blow
England suffered a cruel blow in just the third minute when prop Kyle Sinckler went off after colliding with teammate Maro Itoje as the lock tried to tackle Mapimpi. South Africa's forward pressure was rewarded in the ninth minute when England captain Owen Farrell was penalised for holding on.
Farrell equalised but South
Africa forced a scrum penalty which Pollard, the goal-kicking hero of its 16-13 semifinal win over Wales, landed.
England, which had made such an impressive start to its stunning 19-7 semis victory over New Zealand, was struggling to get its backs into the game but Ford's penalty allowed it to win a line-out the edge of the Springboks' 22.
At last England could launch wrecking-ball centre Manu Tuilagi as it drove to within a metre
of the Springboks' line, but rush defence stopped it in its tracks before Farrell's 35th
minute penalty again levelled the match at 6-6. Pollard, however, ensured South Africa led again with a 47m penalty and it was 12-6 up at the break after prop Tendai Mtawarira forced Dan Cole, Sinckler's replacement, into conceding a scrum-penalty again kicked by Pollard.
Bomb squad
Early in the second half, Eras
mus ensured there was no letup by bringing on props Steven Kitshoff and Vincent Kock - two of six forwards from among his 'bomb squad' of replacements - and its very first set piece saw England concede a fourth scrum penalty of the game. Pollard was again on target from the tee.
England, however, managed a scrum penalty of its own in the 50th minute and Farrell succeeded from some 40m to cut South Africa's lead to 15-9.
South Africa, making no secret of its tactics, formed a nineman maul that forced England offside in the backline to give
Pollard a simple penalty in front of the posts that put the Springboks two scores ahead at 18-9.
Farrell, England's lone pointsscorer, reduced the gap only for the Springboks to surge clear.
There were two hints of a forward pass in the build-up to Mapimi's try after his kick ahead was passed back to him by centre Lukhanyo Am, but referee Jerome Garces let the score stand after consulting the television match official.
But there was no doubt about Kolbe's effort as he sped past Farrell and prop Joe Marler.