So, after a tense, scrappy, and error-strewn final, South Africa have retained the Rugby World Cup by beating New Zealand 12-11, all the Springboks’ points coming from penalties kicked by Handré Pollard – shades of the 1995 final, when Joel Stransky kicked all the points for South Africa.
The game hinged on the sending-off of the New Zealand captain Sam Cane in the first half – a decision about which the All Blacks can have no complaints. Despite playing for over 50 minutes with only 14 men, New Zealand had chances to win, specifically the missed conversion of the game’s only try, which would have made it 13-12.
But you can’t blame anyone else if you don’t take your chances, so congratulations to South Africa!
It’s been a strange World Cup, with some cracking games, a fair share of heartbreak (especially for Ireland and France), and an absurdly unbalanced draw. Let’s hope the arrangements for 2027 are thought out better!
In the Dark 