The captain added a second in the 10th minute after Alex Mitchell won the penalty, this time from only nine metres out. After the opening ten minutes Steve Borthwick’s side had been the dominant team at the Stade de France and fullback Freddie Steward successfully weathered the South Africa aerial pressure.
South Africa moved within metres of the line, but a well-worked tackle from George Martin dislodged the ball from Franco Mostert’s hand and put England back in the driving seat.
Despite his usual calm head when kicking England’s points, a moment of hotheadedness from Farrell when disagreeing with a call from the referee saw England marched back a further 10 metres after giving away a penalty.
Manie Libbok ultimately slotted the kick to put the Springboks within three points. Farrell redeemed himself three minutes later as he kicked a 30-metre penalty to extended their lead to 9-3. Libbok was brutally hooked off the pitch after just over half an hour to be replaced by Leicester Tigers’ Pollard, who scored 22 of South Africa’s points in the RWC final in 2019.
outh Africa moved within metres of the line, but a well-worked tackle from George Martin dislodged the ball from Franco Mostert’s hand and put England back in the driving seat.
Despite his usual calm head when kicking England’s points, a moment of hotheadedness from Farrell when disagreeing with a call from the referee saw England marched back a further 10 metres after giving away a penalty.
Manie Libbok ultimately slotted the kick to put the Springboks within three points. Farrell redeemed himself three minutes later as he kicked a 30-metre penalty to extended their lead to 9-3. Libbok was
tally hooked off the pitch after just over half an hour to be replaced by Leicester Tigers’ Pollard, who scored 22 of South Africa’s points in the RWC final in 2019.
Pollard had an immediate impact and pulled South Africa within three points minutes later. Just before half-time Farrell added a third to make the score 12-6 at the break.
After a scoreless opening 10 minutes of the second half, Farrell scored a drop goal in what would be England’s final points of the World Cup. South Africa’s replacements played a key part in their second-half comeback, and it was Snyman who scored the try, converted by Pollard, to put them within two points.
England went in to defend a maul, but Snyman caught them unaware to topple over the line solo with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The Springboks continued to pile on the pressure in the scrum and
The Springboks continued to pile on the pressure in the scrum and eventually earned a penalty. Up stepped Pollard who put in a thumping kick from 49 metres out that sailed through the posts to put them ahead by 16-15.
They kept their lead for the remaining two and a half minutes, and it was the scrum that allowed South Africa to retain their one-point advantage. A lost ball forward from England gave South Africa the match-ending penalty on the stroke of full-time for a hard-fought win.
South Africa go on to face New Zealand in the final next Saturday, while England will play Argentina in the third/fourth placed playoff on Friday.
