Boks edge another RWC thriller to earn in history 2023
On a wet and windy Parisian night, the Springboks exploded heat, light and joy to a nation of 62 million as they courageously claimed a second successive Webb Ellis Cup with a 12-11 victory (halftime 12-6) at a mesmerised Stade de France on Saturday night.
It was another one-point thriller in which the Boks were held pointless in the second half after twice being reduced to 14-men against a New Zealand side that itself played 50 minutes with 14 after the red-carding of their captain, Sam Cane.
It meant a fourth world title for Siya Kolisi and his men at South Africa’s eighth attempt in a match that some had billed as the biggest in the 150 years of international rugby history – the No 1 (SA) played No 2 (NZ) to settle – for a few years at least – the title of champion of world champions.
New Zealand’s effort was hampered by their own indiscipline – two players in the sin bin in the first half and the second of those upgraded to a red for a high tackle by Cane on Jesse Kriel in the 28th minute.
Kolisi also spent 10 minutes in the bin for a high tackle on Ardie Savea but was saved from a red by the fact he was bent in the tackle and his contact was indirect.
The conditions were far from world champion although the rain eased as the evening wore on. The European late autumn had brought rain all week and the match was played in persistent rain with treacherous footing and an even more traitorously slippery ball.
Scorers:
Springboks 12 (12) – Penalty goals: Handre Pollard (4).
New Zealand 11 (6) – Try: Beauden Barrett. Penalty goals: Richie Mo’unga (2).
The Springboks put in a massive defensive display against the All Blacks.
The Springboks were doing an admirable job of slowing down New Zealand ball at the breakdown with vital turnovers won in defence by replacement hooker Deon Fourie and in attack by Duane Vermeulen – which led to the most straightforward of Pollard’s penalties.
New Zealand’s points came from two easy shots from within the 22 by flyhalf Richie Mo’unga – both for offside offences as the green wall refused to bend with the most important tackle of the half coming from Kurt-Lee Arendse as he pulled down Rieko Ioane in the Boks’ right hand corner.
Despite their disadvantage the All Blacks made had the best of the third quarter – aided by Kolisi’s dismissal in the 45th minute. They scored the only try of the match in the 58th minute when Beauden Barrett dived over in the left hand corner shortly after an Aaron Smith “try” in the same place had been ruled out for an earlier knock on.
Mo’unga’s conversion was wide leaving the Boks holding onto a one-point lead as the game tipped over into the final quarter, then the final 10 minutes, then the final five, then the final minute with a scrum to defend in the 80th minute. They did it. History was made.
Inspirational Bok Siya Kolisi' In the beginning.
Siyamthanda Kolisi was born on June 16, 1991 in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) where he grew up in the township of Zwide on the city’s outskirts.
He first picked up a rugby ball at the age of seven at local club African Bombers which put him on the road to rugby stardom. That journey picked up momentum when he was spotted by scouts at a rugby tournament in Mossel Bay at the age of 12.
Kolisi was given a scholarship to join Grey primary school, with him then offered a rugby scholarship to move onto Grey High a year later, where his impressive performances saw him scaling the youth rugby ranks.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, the Player of the Match
Springbok flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, the Player of the Match for his massive defensive shift in Saturday night’s Rugby World Cup Final in Paris, summed up the feeling of the entire national squad after an epic match in which South Africa edged New Zealand by one point to claim the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time. “For all of South Africa, we are honored to be able to play for you guys,” said Du Toit, who made 28 tackles during the match. “I know when we go back home it will be a warm welcome for us. I want to thank everyone for supporting us. “It is an honor and privilege to play for this team. The last three games have been quite tough. We played each one as a final and each one was [won] by one point. We are quite happy with the win.”
A moment of pure elation between Jesse Kriel and Ox Nche
Ox Nche, one of the props on the bench who made a devastating impact to swing the semi-final in the Boks’ favour a week ago, was also lost for words. “It is a feeling that is out of this world, to have a special group of guys like this,” said Nche. “Deon [Fourie] is 37 years old – in the first few minutes in a World Cup final our starting hooker goes down; we lost Malcolm Marx earlier. If we stay united we can achieve anything. That’s what it means to me.” Nche, who planned to celebrate with a slice of caramel cheesecake, said the Boks showed their resilience in three very tough playoffs: “In South Africa that is what we are made of. When you think we are down that’s when we come out and shock you."
