Pollard’s late penalty sends South Africa into Rugby World Cup final

PARIS: Replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked a last-gasp penalty as South Africa somehow found a way to get past a dominant England on Saturday and claim a 16-15 victory that sent them into a World Cup final against fellow triple champions New Zealand.

The defending champions looked on the verge of defeat as England’s kicking game kept them pegged back in their own half on a rainy Paris night and earned a 15-6 lead, But they hit back with a try by RG Snyman before replacement Pollard landed a penalty from almost on the halfway line to snatch victory.

It was a second successive single-point victory for the Springboks after they beat France 29-28 and means the two superpowers of the sport will meet in the final for the second time, after South Africa triumphed on home soil in 1995 in their first appearance at the tournament.

“It was really ugly but that is what champions are made of,” said Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.

“Credit to England. They were written off before the World Cup but pulled themselves together and showed who they are. They are not a team you take lightly but to my team, we found a way to fight back into the game.”

For most of Saturday’s match, it looked as if it would be the 2019 runners-up returning to the final. Coach Steve Borthwick had promised he had a plan to unsettle the world champions but there was nothing radical about their approach as they kicked relentlessly in the rain and outplayed the Springboks in the air.

That early control earned Owen Farrell two penalty opportunities, both of which he slotted for a 6-0 lead.

Manie Libbok landed one for the Springboks but looked off the pace and was replaced by Pollard after 31 minutes, who soon landed a penalty.

England, however,