South Africa 37 Argentina 13

Spingboks on the march - South Africa’s Francois Steyn is tackled by Argentina’s Mario Ledesma Arocena during their World Cup semi-final at the Stade de France

South Africa reached the World Cup Final and are right on course to win their second World Cup with a clinical performance that was too much for the brave Pumas at the Stade de France last night.

The Springboks had too much structure, power, organisation and belief to be denied their great dream by the side that has captured the imagination of the romantics at this World Cup.

South Africa always had something in hand once they had led 24-6 at half-time.

Truth to tell, their second half performance was hardly world champion material but, then again, it didn’t need to be.

With the job virtually done after 40 minutes, the Springboks were content to soak up whatever their opponents could throw at them and take an armchair ride into the final.

With the excellent Victor Matfield back to his best up front and half backs Fourie Du Preez and Butch James astutely commanding the game behind the Springbok pack, Jake White’s men earned a place in Saturday night’s final against England.

Favourites

They will surely start odds on favourites.

The Springboks also had the dead-eyed accurate goal-kicking of fullback Percy Mongomery, and his two late penalties as the Pumas gradually ran out of steam added an appropriate icing to the cake.

South Africa really should become only the second nation to win the World Cup twice especially with the lethal Bryan Habana, who rounded it all off with a trade mark intercept try five minutes from the end.

This had looked a match too far all week for the Pumas and it duly came to pass in the first forty minutes.

Argentina turned over so much possession that sides not even half as good as South Africa would have profited handsomely.

The Springboks said thank you very much, ran in three tries in the first 39 minutes for a 24-6 half-time lead that gave the Pumas a mountain to climb thereafter.

South Africa’s path to the final seldom looked in doubt even as early as the 7th minute when Felipe Contepomi fatally delayed his pass just outside the South African 22 and Fourie Du Preez, who reads rugby matches like most of us paperbacks, snaffled the pass.

Converting

The scrum half who is far and away the world’s No 1, ran 65 metres to score, Percy Montgomery converting.

That settled any nerves the Springboks might have shown and although Conte-pomi partly atoned with a 14th minute penalty for John Smit’s obstruction on Agustin Pichot, Montgomery restored the advantage when Argentina were penalised for not releasing straight from the kick-off.

The Pumas did then settle for a spell and the over ambition of Springbok centre Francois Steyn then cost his side three more points when he was caught and did not release.

Contepomi landed the penalty to make it 10-6 and the Pumas were ten minutes away from a half-time cuppa which would have seen them firmly in the game. Alas, they then pressed most emphatically the self-destruct button.

Juan Martin Hernandez sent a poor kick downfield and although the Springboks replied in kind, Argentina then generously turned over possession. The ever alert Du Preez was quick to spot the opportunity, lock Victor Matfield was the link and the dangerous Bryan Habana was off.

At speed, he placed a delicate little chip kick ahead of him, enjoyed the fortune of a good bounce and regathered to race over. Argentina never learned their lesson.

One minute out from half time, they again carelessly turned over possession in midfield with similar results.

Schalk Burger and Jaque Fourie were quick to take advantage and Danie Rossouw galloped home from 20 metres, Montgomery again converting. It defied belief that the Springboks could toss away such an opportunity with one foot already in the final and so it proved.

Besides, Argentina continued to make far too many mistakes and looked far too weary at the end of five solid weeks of rugby football.

Their problem is, they lack the resources and strength in playing depth of teams like South Africa and last night at the Stade de France, it came home to haunt them.

It was a disappointing conclusion for the Pumas but the superior power and tigerish intensity of the Springboks meant they were always operating at a higher level. Their forwards crunched into their opponents and seized on every mistake with relish.

You had to say that New Zealand referee Steve Walsh was no friend of Argentina, constantly penalising them for the tiniest of offences.

The Pumas needed that like a hole in the head But in no way was it decisive. South Africa were always the better team and deserved to book thier their place in the final.

South Africa–Montgomery; Pietersen, Fourie, Steyn, Habana; James, du Preez; du Randt, Smit, van der Linde, B. Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Rossouw. Replacements: Pienaar for Pietersen (76), Olivier for Steyn (76), Pretorius for James (76), J. du Plessis for du Randt (44), B. du Plessis for Smit (76), Muller for B. Botha (76), Skinstad for Rossouw (75).

Argentina — Corleto; Borges, M. Contepomi, F. Contepomi; Agulla, Martin Hernandez; Pichot, Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo, C. Fernandez Lobbe, Albacete, Ostiglia, J. Fernandez Lobbe, Longo Elia. Replacements: Pedro Tiesi for M. Contepomi (65), Hasan for Scelzo (34), Kairelis for C. Fernandez Lobbe (53), Leguizamon for Ostiglia (65).

Ref — S Walsh (New Zealand).

This entry was posted on Monday, October 15th, 2007 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Bokke, World Cup News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.