Wynne Gray's 50 greatest rugby moments: No.12

South African players celebrates after winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup semifinal. Photo / Getty

Whichever way you diced it, the Springboks were lucky.

Torrential thunderstorms had swamped Kings Park in Durban and there was a danger the
1995 World Cup semifinal would be abandoned.

If that occurred, France would go through to the final because their Springbok opponents had a worse judicial record at the tournament.

There was discussion about postponing the match but that was vetoed and in an uncomfortable reminder for many of life in South Africa, the black women went to work.

Huge numbers in traditional garb swept the ground with brooms, brushes and mops while those who tuned in from other parts of the world or even worse, set their recording devices, discovered there was no sporting action at Kings Park.

Eventually the knockout test started about the time it should have ended.

Some of the Boks passed the time by watching are play of France's previous win against Irelandwhile others ignored the tension and had a kip.

They were used to delays, as their match with Canada was held up because of a floodlight failure. Conditions meant the test was largely restricted to the forward battle and kicking for territory.

Springbok coach Kitch Christie had picked usual lock Mark Andrews at No8 where some of his waterpolo expertise came in handy but another of the coach's gambles almost cost his side the match.

Fullback Andre Joubert played with a broken hand and when he dropped a late up and under, France pressured the Bok line with a series of scrums.

After one, it seemed French flanker Abdul Benazzi must score when he launched into a dive with accompanying bow-wave, at the Bok line.Somehow
he was stopped and Welsh referee Derek Bevan ruled that Benazzi had come up 10cm short of the line.

The Springboks won 19-15 and were on their way to the final.

In a series of gaffes at the sub-sequent World Cup dinner, South African Rugby boss Louis Luyt pre-sented Bevan with a gold watch for best referee of the tournament, a gift the official later passed on to a charity auction.