South Africa’s wing Makazole Mapimpi celebrates after scoring a try during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup final match between England and South Africa at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama on November 2, 2019. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
RWC 2019 final highlights and recap: England 12-32 South Africa
Springbok wings Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe grabbed a try each as South Africa beat England 32-12 on Saturday to win the Rugby World Cup for the third time.
South Africa’s wing Makazole Mapimpi celebrates after scoring a try during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup final match between England and South Africa at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama on November 2, 2019. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
It’s the big Rugby World Cup final. Don’t miss a thing.
South Africa are champions of the world for the third time after producing a magical performance to beat England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama.
Wing kings Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe were the second half try scorers to set the Springboks free after an opening hour dominated by the boots of Handre Pollard and Owen Farrell.
The Boks made one change from their semi-final win over Wales, with Cheslin Kolbe stepping back in following injury.
Eddie Jones unsurprisingly kept with the same starting VX that did the business against reigning champions New Zealand in the last four.
It was the Springboks pack that paved the way for territorial dominance in the opening quarter, with England hindered by the exit of Kyle Sinckler just a couple of minutes in.
Handre Pollard was in fine form with the boot, knocking over successive penalties off the tee to keep the momentum ticking for the men in green.
The English bulldog spirit came through, though, with a barrage of the South African line somehow yielding just three points for a penalty thanks to the most resolute of defences.
Another pair of Pollard penalties ensured a six-point lead accompanied the Boks into the half time break.
It was a predictably nervy second period, with England continuing to make errors uncharacteristic of their World Cup campaign.
The crunch came in the 67th minute as Malcolm Marx shifted a sneaky pass on to Makazole Mapimpi, who kicked through before Lukhanyo Am gathered and found his wing on his outside to finish.
An agonizing check with the TMO followed, before the Boks could celebrate the serenity of breathing space at last.
It left England with it all to do and South Africa completed the job thanks to one of their men of the competition.
Kolbe gathered by the right sideline, turned on the jet shoes and went outside, inside and outside again to leave the English defence – and their World Cup hopes – in tatters.
RWC 2019 highlights: England vs South Africa
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Additional reporting by AFP/World Rugby.
