When Owen Farrell kicked a drop-goal with 27 minutes to go, the Springboks began to look like a beaten team but, drawing strength from a stunning succession of scrums from prop Ox Nche, they fought their way back and won it with Handre Pollard kicking the winner from 48m.
The out-half had been on since the 32nd minute, his early introduction a sign of how well England had done to negate a tired-looking Springbok team’s strengths in the first-half.
It was rugby from another era, but it was highly effective and it nearly worked with South Africa having to go deep to book their date with New Zealand in a week’s time.
The hangover of last week’s quarter-finals lingered with a mutinous French majority of the 78,098 crowd roundly booing ref Ben O’Keeffe who’d been blamed for their exit six days ago. The focus has been on the Kiwi official all week and you’d sense it’s South Africa who’ll be upset with him after this one.
Their complaints will ring hollow, because they were cleaned out by England in the early stages as Farrell kicked his team in front.
South Africa were struggling in the air, Maro Itoje poached their first lineout and they got no change off the first scrum.
Farrell doubled the lead off the back of more Springbok inaccuracy with England winning all the battles, stopping a pair of South African mauls before coughing up a cheap penalty which Manie Libbok kicked to the corner. England’s pack stood tall again, but Manu Tuilagi rushed in for afters and gave South Africa another chance.
Into the corner they went, but again England dealt with the maul and Franco Mostert knocked on. When England won the scrum penalty, their fans began to believe.
Their indiscipline was keeping South Africa in it. Tom Curry went off his feet, Farrell’s dissent saw O’Keeffe march them back into kickable range and Libbok got his side off the mark.
Farrell soon cancelled it out after a loose Damian Willemse pass was recovered by Courtney Lawes and Kolisi got caught on the wrong side.
The Springboks kept probing and England had all the answers. Alex Mitchell tapped Cheslin Kolbe as he looked to take off, Mbonambi through another crooked one and the scrum continued to hold firm.
The world champions were so worried they replaced Manie Libbok with Handre Pollard after just 31 minutes, while Billy Vunipola came on as a blood sub for Tom Curry and spilled the ball on his own 5m line, Joe Marler coughed up a penalty and Pollard made it 9-6.
Having dominated the half, England had the last laugh as du Toit was done for blocking under a high ball and Farrell nailed the long ranger to take a six point lead in at the break.
The trend of the game continued after half-time with an early Jonny May aerial win, followed by a South African penalty concession on the ground.
Farrell kicked for position, then a clever kick in behind forced Willemse into touch on 5m but Jamie George’s throw was crooked and the Boks escaped.
South Africa emptied their bench and the power-surge came at the scrum as they won a scrum against the head, got RG Snyman moving forward and a neat cross-kick from Pollard to Kolbe led to Willie le Roux hacking ahead but the ball beat him to the line.
England went up the pitch, forced a turnover and Farrell launched a stunning drop-goal from long range. South African heads dropped further.
They needed an in and their scrum delivered it, forcing a penalty off Kyle Sinckler that Pollard absolutely drilled into the corner. Mbonambi hit his man, Deon Fourie carried hard and Munster’s RG Snyman powered over from close range. When Pollard converted, it was a two-point game.
What followed was scripted by a Springbok screenwriter. Le Roux called for a scrum from a mark, they won a penalty and cleared their lines. Freddie Steward’s knock-on gave them another set-piece, Nche won another penalty and up stepped Pollard to kick the score that England couldn’t cancel out.
Scorers:
England: O Farrell 4 pens, drop-goal;
South Africa: RG Snyman try, H Pollard 2 pens, con; M Libbok pen;
TEAMS –
ENGLAND – F Steward; J May, J Marchant, M Tuilagi (O Lawrence 74), E Daly; O Farrell (capt), A Mitchell (D Care 52); J Marler (E Genge 52), J George, D Cole (K Sinckler 56); M Itoje, G Martin (O Chessum 52); C Lawes, T Curry (B Vunipola 33-37), B Earl.
SOUTH AFRICA – D Willemse (W le Roux 44); KL Arendse (G Ford 78), J Kriel, D de Allende, C Kolbe; M Libbok (H Pollard 31), C Reinach (F de Klerk 42); S Kitshoff (O Nche 49), B Mbonambi, F Malherbe (V Koch 56); E Etzebeth (RG Snyman 46), F Mostert; S Kolisi (capt) (K Smith 51), PS du Toit, D Vermeulen (D Fourie 51).
Ref: B O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
