The Blues all fall to the ground. Thunderstruck. A stray ball in stoppage time as they pushed for the winning penalty. At the end of a match that was initially all fire and then transformed into trench warfare after the break. 28-29. The hope that New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe will finally be less passive. In vain. And this hand fault which definitely shatters the dream. The French XV is eliminated from “its” World Cup in the quarter-finals. Like in 2015. Like in 2019. For the greatest, the cruelest disillusionment. South Africa continues to defend its title. And can continue to dream of being the first nation to be crowned four times. To do this, the Boks will first have to face England in the semi-final in six days.
The French pack knew the scale of the challenge. And they took it up with force. From the third minute, behind a touch won by Woki, the tank set off in the wake of a devastating Uini atonio. 20 meters to take everything and a pass from Antoine Dupont towards his pillar Cyril Baille who flattens in the corner. 7-0 from the start. And almost double on a full axis breakthrough from hooker Peato Mauvaka. But, on the left wing, Gaël Fickou forgets Louis Bielle-Biarrey. The Springboks’ response will come immediately. Two tries in ten minutes to lead 12 to 7 in the 18th.
The quarter-final then got more and more carried away, breaking all the speed limits. Dupont quickly played a hand penalty to send, this time, Mauvaka, to try in the corner. The ace ! Ramos took too long to complete the conversion, which was blocked by Kolbe. 12-12 therefore in the 22nd minute. And already four tries registered. The confrontation that was planned to be padlocked had turned into an orgy of play.
South Africa’s team composition had questioned. Fewer massive forwards on the bench, a renowned offensive hinge. Were the Springboks really going to dare to throw play everywhere? Was Jacques Nienaber, the coach and strategist, attempting a banco? The answer quickly came: yes. Montpellier scrum half, Cobus Reinach, multiplied the small kicks over the French defense. To send his Arendse arrow to trial. Rebelote on a ball messed up by Dupont then Baille. This time it was the center, Jesse Kriel, who hit a low kick towards Kolbe. The rocket gained speed from Penaud and Ramos to take off for the test (12-19, 26th). A poker game which the coach put an end to in the 45th minute by releasing his “free-style” hinge to bring in Faf de Klerk and Handré Pollard, the metronomes of the game upwind and on foot.
At the half-hour mark, faced with the risks of moving the ball away, the French pack took matters into their own hands. New touch and new grouped-penetrating. Which takes away the massive South African forwards. For another try, this time in force, from Cyril Baille (19-19, 31st). Just before the break, a penalty from Ramos allows the Blues to return to the locker room with a slim advantage (22-19 MT). Then 25-19 on a new achievement from the Toulouse striker (54th).
The scenario has changed. Make way for the wild beauty of the fight before. An intense, brutal standoff, which the Blues hold with an iron fist in the wake of an explosive Peato Mauvaka. Percussions, escapes, scratched balloons. The hooker promoted to number 1 since the injury of his teammate Julien Marchand during the opening match, is untenable. But the Springboks do not let themselves be intimidated, bringing in new blood up front. The fierce battle is balanced. Then, little by little, the reigning world champions take the upper hand, sending the warrior Etzebeth to the test (25-26, 67th). A penalty from Pollard, in the process, will bring the lead to 4 points (25-29). The Blues will resist, defending their line until the end. Will try to get out of the trap with a few kicks. To glean a successful penalty by Ramos (28-29, 72nd). The decisive one will never be whistled by the referee.
