South Africa crushed France’s hopes of a maiden World Cup title after withstanding a Paris storm to emerge 29-28 winners of a furious and vintage quarterfinal.
In a contest for the ages on Sunday, a scintillating first half ended in a brutal street fight and the Springboks’ experience made the difference against a French team playing their first knockout game since coach Fabien Galthie took over four years ago.
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The defending champions dug deeper than normal for one of their most resilient performances to knock the highly rated French out of their home World Cup in front of nearly 80,000 fans at Stade de France.
“For all the support we’ve had, it’s heartbreaking,” France flanker Charles Ollivon said.
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France played all the attacking rugby for the first hour, and the crowd loved it, leaving South Africa to feed off crumbs and cling on before suddenly swinging the momentum in the final 13 minutes when lock Eben Etzebeth made up for an earlier yellow card by barging over near the posts.
That put South Africa ahead for the first time since a breathless, six-try opening 30 minutes.
While France came within a point of the Springboks at the end, their great hopes of a first title, and clinching it at home, slipped away when replacement prop Reda Wardi lost possession in a last, desperate attack after the clock ticked past 80 minute