The Springboks remained on course to retain the Rugby World Cup following a thrilling 29-28 victory over hosts France at the Stade de France on Sunday.
The Springboks kept their record fourth title hopes alive with second-half points from fly-half Handre Pollard, setting up a last-four meeting with England in Paris next Saturday.
In a huge disappointment for the home crowd, in-form France were knocked out in the quarter-finals despite leading at the break.
France captain Antoine Dupont returned from a cheekbone fracture suffered last month as the host nation sought its first semi-final appearance since finishing runners-up for the third time in 2011.
Fabien Galthie’s France, ranked third in the world, faced Jacques Nienaber’s Boks, ranked second. French President Emmanuel Macron was among the 79,500 spectators who expected a high-quality match.
The spotlight was on the returning Dupont, and the 26-year-old played a role in the hosts’ first goal.
He fed Damian Penaud, who found prop Cyril Baille in the corner with a deft pass, sending the Paris crowd into a frenzy.
Full-back With the conversion, Thomas Ramos made it 7-0, and despite France appearing to be in control, the Springboks reacted quickly as Kurt Lee-Arendse took advantage of a bouncing box kick.
Manie Libbok, who has struggled from the tee this World Cup but was chosen ahead of World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard at fly-half, then levelled the game after 10 minutes, capping off a thrilling start to the game.
After a quarter of the game, the Boks settled into the game and benefited from another high ball as centre Damian de Allende crashed over a few phases after collecting a Libbok up-and-under.
Libbok missed the extras, but Dupont was again crucial, setting up Peato Mauvaka in the same corner as Baille earlier in the game for the hooker’s third tournament try.
Cheslin Kolbe charged down Ramos’ difficult conversion to make it 12-12 before the Boks took the lead again, which proved costly in the end.
Lock At a ruck, Eben Etzebeth irritated Dupont. Jesse Kriel set up Kolbe with a grubber kick before Libbok slotted the extras to give the Springboks a 19-12 lead.
The sides were level at 19-all after an outstanding first 30 minutes, with Baille claiming his double with the French pack on top at the breakdown but Nienaber’s side efficient with possession.
South Africa went into the break down a man, with Eben Etzebeth receiving a yellow card for making head contact with Uini Atonio while tackling the colossal prop.
Ramos converted the resulting penalty, giving France a 22-19 lead at the half.
Cobus Reinach and Libbok were replaced by Faf De Klerk and Pollard after only five minutes of the second half, as the hostile home fans whistled their arrival.
Etzebeth was treated similarly when he returned from the sin bin with an enticing half-hour in store.
France was in command of territory and possession as Ramos extended his lead as the tournament’s leading scorer with a penalty to make it 25-19.
But the momentum swung back in South Africa’s favour when Etzebeth made amends for his earlier gaffe by crashing over for a try, with Pollard’s conversion putting the Boks back in front at 26-25 heading into the final 15 minutes.
In a tense finish, Pollard traded penalties with Ramos from his own half.
With the clock ticking down, France had possession, but De Klerk came up with a crucial rip of the ball from the grasp of Reda Wardi, with Kurt-Lee Arendse booting the ball out to end France’s hopes of a first World Cup triumph.
Photo by Dan Sheridan/INPHO/Shutterstock
