The Springboks celebrate their victory against France in the World Cup. GONZALO FUENTES (Portal)
The difference between South Africa and France at the Rugby World Cup is that one won three finals and the other lost. The aforementioned third and second in the world rankings turned the last quarter-final into a real title contest, with the Springboks prevailing, defeating the hosts and aiming to become the first team to win four titles. After stunning Paris, they face England in the semi-finals on Saturday and Argentina and New Zealand in the other part of the draw.
Antoine Dupont’s return four weeks after breaking his cheekbone against Namibia spurred the hosts on. The semi-melee fighter used the whip to command his raging beasts. It was the most electric France, with no pause between the tackle and the resumption of play, either with foot or hand. The speed at which a granite defense is destroyed upon contact. After folding before the first waves, the Springboks were outnumbered when Dupont restarted the action on the left, so the burly Cyril Baille sneaked between the sprinters to rehearse.
South Africa reached a critical point in the next wave, triggered by its own loss. Savior Eben Etzebeth came to forestall this with an unorthodox slap that went backwards. From relief to joy with the same protagonist, an Etzebeth, who fought an aerial battle with his size and delivered the ideal ball to Arendse to run unhindered towards the equalizer. It wasn’t the first kick that France missed, a weakness that Manie Libbok exploited, so Damian de Allende took advantage of the French’s doubts about conquering the oval and turned things around with another goal.
The duel was over and both stood by their weapons. South Africa once again broke through the aggressive French defense with a follow-up shot from Jesse Kriel that released another gazelle like Cheslin Kolbe, the hero of the 2019 final against England. But France responded to the blows with the force of the Springbok’s best striker. Quick releases and precise attacks from the Gauls, who like to compete on impact. And tests of his first line, showing versatility in a position where just holding the scrum is enough. Baille repeated and Peato Mauvaka joined. Six rehearsals in half an hour, a party. The two best defenses in the world, which are significantly inferior in attack.
The cliché was that the hosts shone with the ball and the Springboks shone without it, but both completed their records, which is why they are superpowers. In fact, they had changed their roles. France went into the break leading 22-19 as Ramos converted the penalty and time was running out, allowing Etzebet Atonio to score directly; That earned him a yellow card, which made him fear he would be sent off during the break.
With the return of Handré Pollard, South Africa replaced Libbok, who missed every other kick between the posts during the tournament, and added Faf de Klerk, the small and deadly medo-scrub who accompanied him to the Japanese title. Two letters for a meeting to discuss defense reparations. Highlights included the battle for the ruck, winning the ball after the tackle, rugby’s lowest common multiple. A new context that seemed to please France, who increased their earnings with a shot from Ramos. Given the hectic pace of the first half, three points were now worth a world. Time was running out and they needed an improved test to make up for their deficit.
With attacking options scarce, the Springboks refused to follow up with three-by-three stick kicks and looked for a French penalty after a poor retreat from their defense. Then came the Swiss Army Knife, an ever-present Etzebeth who used his two meters to fend off tackles and pose under the sticks. France blamed the hangover for the test and received another blow, which this time Pollard actually delivered. The hosts were suddenly four points behind and now needed the points. And faced with the same dilemma, he asked for the sticks to be closer to one.
The decision was ultimately wrong because France never had a comparable chance again. After the biggest scrum of the game – the referee needed three attempts to make it stable – his team regained the ball just five meters from their own goal area and started the final rush. But the chaos did not have a happy ending as South Africa regained the ball and completed the task. The champion still stands.
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