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'We found a way' - Siya Kolisi lauds team despite 'awful' discipline
By Ian Cameron
South African captain Siya Kolisi has lauded his Springboks side after they snatched a one-point victory from the jaws of defeat, battling back to beat England 16-15 in a thrilling Rugby World Cup semi-final in the Stade de France.
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England lead the game right up until the final six minutes after a long-range Handre Pollard penalty saved the day for the Boks.
Jacques Nienaber was visibly shaken after the game as the Springboks brains trust breathed a sigh of relief.
Speaking directly after the game, Kolisi said: “It’s honestly all the hard work we have put in came off. It was really ugly today but that is what champions are made of. Credit to England, they have worked hard.
“They were written off before the World Cup. Coach Steve [Borthwick] and Owen [Farrell] and the team pulled themselves together and showed who they are.
“They are not a team you take lightly, all credit to them for being in the semi-final today. To my team as well it was ugly today like it was last week but we found a way to fight back and get back into the game. Well done to the boys. I am really proud of the fight that was showed, especially the guys who came off the bench once again.”]
Kolisi admitted the England had the best of it in most aspects of the game, especially the kicking game.
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“England did so well in the kicking game, they outplayed us in that. Our discipline was awful in the first half, especially in the key areas where they could take the points. But I thought we fought back in the second half, we showed who we are and what we can do with a full 23.
“It’s going to be as big as it was tonight [playing New Zealand in the final]. The All Blacks played really well last night but we want to thank the South African supporters who came all the way here to support us and the ones back at home as well. Next week is going to be hard, it’s going to be special but may they stay with us and hopefully we can defend it.”
Disgusting tactics of running five or six water carriers/medics on to the park whenever O'Keefe had his head turned to influence the pace of the game. To be fair both teams used the same ploy when it suited. I wish O'Keefe had penalised them earlier.
Bok sleep walked (mentally). England woke, finally (apart from that last minute!).
Both teams can consider themselves lucky.
England because they were (as all post examinations have shown) extremely lucky to get past Fiji with ref decisions.
Bok were rattled & confused by the awoken England. Apart from their great but desperate try, Bok only made it due to unforced English errors. England will rue that, despite having 3-4 drop goal specialist (including substituting for it in last minute) tried to get that extra inch closer (that a mad Bok were never going to give em) rather go for goal.
Awful, how England lost that we will never know. Boks looked like they'd run out of juice in the first half. Awful kicking and hoping. The worst game of rugby at this cup by far.