SOUTH Africa edged their way into their third World Cup final, while Wales were denied a first by the slimmest of margins, after Springbok fly-half Handre Pollard kicked a penalty four minutes from time.
A final between Wales and England was still a possibility until South Africa’s ace marksman nailed that shot.
After a hard-fought and dour semi-final, dominated by box-kicking there was nothing separating the teams at 16-16 with ten minutes left.
The Welsh went for the jugular. A series of pickand- drives gave bench fly-half Rhys Patchell the chance of a drop-goal, but when his attempt was wide and short South Africa lifted the siege – and turned the tables.
South Africa trapped Wales in their own territory. Alun Wyn Jones was tackled and conceded a turn-over penalty when the veteran Springbok openside flanker Francois Louw got over the ball.
When South Africa kicked the penalty to the Welsh 22 and then drove the line-out, Dillon Lewis, the Welsh bench tight-head, was penalised for coming in at the side of the maul.
Pollard made no mistake, and as South Africa ran the clock down Wales were left powerless.
An attritional first-half full of handling errors had seen Pollard kick three penalties as the Springboks attempted to batter down the Welsh defensive door.
However, the Six Nations champions refused to buckle, and although they lost Tomas Francis with a shoulder injury, Dan Biggar landed the second of two penalties on the stroke of half-time to keep his side in the hunt at 9-6.
When Wales drew level at 9-9 thanks to a long-range Biggar penalty there was a ten minute arm-wrestle which ended in South Africa’s favour when Pollard made inroads into the Welsh 22.
The ball was cleared quickly from the ruck for one of the few times in the match and powerful centre Damian de Allende brushed off the challenges of Biggar and Tomos Williams to dot down.
Just before the hour Wales struck back when Patchell kicked to the corner and a series of pickand- drives earned them a penalty.
Welsh captain Jones opted for a five metre scrum and his gamble paid off when Ross Moriarty moved the ball from the base to Williams. The scrum-half linked with Jonathan Davies and his no-frills transfer put Adams over, and after Leigh Halfpenny’s touchline conversion it was all square.
However, it was the Springboks who played the percentages marginally better, and the Welsh who were left to contemplate what might have been.
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