All Blacks loose forward Jerome Kaino on his way to score in the corner. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Blacks loose forward Jerome Kaino on his way to score in the corner. Photo / Brett Phibbs
South Africa deserved to be beaten because of their negative tactics and the All Blacks deserve to be in the World Cup final - that was the immediate take-out of the world's rugby media following this morning's gripping semi showdown.
While lauding the courage of the Springboks, The Times of London led the criticism over South Africa's inability to threaten the All Blacks' tryline while the English media took a collective line that New Zealand's composure was the difference in the 20-18 thriller and they remain favourites to retain the Webb Ellis Trophy next weekend. It was a line supported by Australian media outlets as well.
Owen Slot in the Times of London:
The semi-final was tight and tense, but only one team tried to play rugby.
Hard, tense, compelling. And a victory for the team who tried to play.
In this magnificent World Cup, where the rugby has been of such a soaring, entertaining level, the team that elected not to play nearly prevailed.
The Springboks were magnificent in their own, very Bok-like way here. The physicality and intensity was every notch as high as we had expected. South African bodies were on the line. Their courage and spirit were indeed remarkable. Yet, still they did not play.
The most astonishing reflection of this game is that New Zealand had all the territory and possession and yet only edged it by two points. South Africa, who came with an awesome defence and a route-one attack, very nearly knocked them out. Just one more penalty goal, one more piece of All Black indiscretion, and they might have had their dream ruined.
This was surely the greatest examination of the rugby the All Blacks have brought to this event. The ultimate foe, as they like to remind us, are the South Africans. And when you get South Africa plus wet ball plus teeming rain, then it gets no harder.
New Zealand, however, played smart enough in the second half to keep the Springboks out of the right half of the game. Stuck down their end of the field in the second period, the Springboks were always going to struggle. They never had enough in their game plan to cause the All Blacks problems.
No team has ever retained the Webb Ellis trophy, but the All Blacks will be favourites to do so when they meet either Australia or Argentina next weekend after finding their way through a brutal encounter.
This was nothing like the free-flowing attacking rugby that had eviscerated France in the quarter-finals, but in its own way it was just as admirable, as South Africa refused to buckle despite having just 43% possession.
The game swung in the 20 minutes after half-time, New Zealand beginning that period five points down and with (Jerome) Kaino off the pitch, but ending it five points up and with Springbok wing Bryan Habana in the sin-bin instead.
And despite replacement Pat Lambie cutting the lead to less than a score, the vast experience of the champions saw them through.
Ben Smith was faultless under the high ball and Dan Carter's decision-making once again peerless.
The All Blacks delivered a commanding second-half performance. South Africa did not have enough field position to build any consistent pressure and they wasted two attacking opportunities as New Zealand closed out the game expertly at the death.
The difference on the scoreboard was the re-taken conversion that Carter was granted after Bryan Habana had prematurely charged him down as he lined up the kick following Kaino's try. Carter missed the first effort but landed the second.
It was typical of the British weather to arrive after the European teams had been knocked out of the World Cup. The result was a hard, uncompromising wrestling bout that was more Six Nations than Rugby Championship, the holders finding a way of winning ugly and keeping alive their ambition of becoming the first side to retain the trophy.
New Zealand are habitual problem solvers, but as their head coach Steve Hansen looked on in disdain, his players conceded a rash of penalties, nine in the opening period, that allowed South Africa to overcome the early try they conceded to the flanker Jerome Kaino, one of the few times the All Blacks forwards and backs combined with precision and lead 12-7 at the break. The holders were back on the pitch for the second half early, taking the opportunity to practice their passing and handling as the rain fell, probably relieved to be out of hearing distance from Hansen.
New Zealand once again showed their ability to raise their game and maintain their composure just when their opponents should have been able to go in for the kill by actually reducing their deficit while Kaino was in the sin bin. In fact it was the All Blacks who dominated those 10 minutes, with Dan Carter landing a sweetly-struck dropped goal to cut the deficit to two points.
The psychological edge it gave the All Blacks inflicted serious damage to the Springboks, and it was little surprise that New Zealand were able to take the lead moments after Kano's return when Beauden Barrett crossed for a try. Dan Carter's conversion ensured there had been a critical 10-point swing in a contest of such small margins.
Image 1 of 17: Jerome Kaino dives in the corner to score against South Africa. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Rory Keane in the London Daily Mail:
The pace and ferocity of the contest was something to behold with no quarter being given in the tight exchanges.
Sam Whitelock rose above replacement lock Victor Matfield to win a crucial lineout late on with the contest perched on a knife-edge.
The final stages was a tension-field affair resulting in a fascinating aerial and territorial battle with just one score separating these two superb sides. Marshalled by their ice-cool half-backs Smith and Carter, the world's best side showed all their class to secure their place in next weekend's finale.
New Zealand deserved that narrow victory given their utter dominance of possession and territory, but they could not shake off the Boks, who hung in there with a monumental defensive effort.
Kiwi fullback Ben Smith earned the Man of the Match award primarily for his ability to dominate aerial contests, especially when the weather deteriorated after half-time.
New Zealand pushed through one of their sloppier first half performances and a halftime deficit to take the match and book a place in the final of one of the most dramatic and thrilling World Cups in history.
The usually clinical All Blacks gave away penalty after penalty in the first half, allowing South African five-eight Handre Pollard to kick his side to a 12-7 lead with four penalty goals.
But the Springboks failed to score a try in the knock-out match and allowed New Zealand to put on 10 unanswered points early in the second half and hurt themselves with cheap penalties. Veteran winger Bryan Habana was sin-binned in the second half and second rower Eben Etzebeth may rue his sealing off infringement that sapped his side's momentum just as they were building up a head of steam.
It was a battle of two rugby heavyweights, despite the errors, and the winner of tomorrow morning's semi-final will have no easy task preparing to stop Steve Hansen's experienced side.
