The Boks produced a defensive effort for the ages in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final to retain their status as world champions by a single point against the All Blacks in Paris on Saturday.
In keeping with their character and their path through the playoffs, the Springboks clung on for dear life to claim a 12-11 win against a 14-man All Blacks to retain the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in their history.
The win also sees South Africa become the first team to win four World Cup titles.
For the fourth time 🏆🏆🏆🏆#RWC2023 | #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/PaxdEy2Q56
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 28, 2023
An incredible match went down to the wire as the All Blacks, who became the first team to be reduced to 14 players in a World Cup final when captain Sam Cane saw red in the first half, surged back in the second half after going into the break trailing by six points.
Handre Pollard scored all of South Africa’s points in the first half, slotting four penalties, including one from around 50 metres.
A sensational effort on defence, encapsulated by man-of-the-match Pieter-Steph du Toit’s 27 tackles, saw the Boks survive an onslaught to go back-to-back.
An evening he will never forget
Pieter-Steph du Toit is the @Mastercard #POTM #RWC2023 | #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/wc0OB9kz66
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 28, 2023
The Springboks suffered a massive blow in the first half when Bongi Mbonambi was injured by Shannon Frizell in a dangerous clean-out that only earned the All Blacks flanker a yellow card.
That drew Deon Fourie into the game far earlier than the veteran would have expected and the Springboks suffered at the lineout, where the All Blacks started to work their way back into the contest.
The Springboks saw both Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian de Allende narrowly denied tries at the start of the second half, before captain Siya Kolisi was sin binned for a head-on-head collision with Ardie Savea.
Though South Africa did not concede a point while their captain was off the field, Beauden Barrett became the first player to score a try against the Boks in a final not long after the flanker’s return, with Richie Mo’unga crucially missing the touchline conversion, but still setting up a nail-biting finale.
The Springboks then had to finish the match down to 14 men when Cheslin Kolbe was yellow-carded for an intentional knock-down.
However, the defending champions saw off one last attack from the New Zealanders and held their nerve at the final scrum to bring an end to the match.
Pure ecstasy, pure agony#RWC2023 | #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/r9jIUdFDOF
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 28, 2023
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images