The Springboks kept their hopes of a record fourth title alive thanks to fly-half Handre Pollard’s second-half points, setting up a last-four meeting with England back in Paris on Saturday (Oct 21).
France were knocked out at the quarter-final stage despite leading at the break in a huge disappointment for the expectant home support at the Stade de France.
“I just thought we really wanted it. I must give credit to the guys who came off the bench. They came and made a good defence,” South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said.
“It was a hard game. We knew how tough it was going to be with the French team at home and honestly I just want to say well done to them for what they have achieved and how hard they worked.”
France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert said: “We could have taken some chances in the second half but you have to congratulate the Springboks for resisting our attacks.
“There is a feeling of a lot of disappointment and frustration. It is sad and very disappointing for us... it is hard to accept going out.”
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the 79,500 crowd expecting - and getting - a match of the highest quality between Fabien Galthie’s France team, third in the world rankings, and Jacques Nienaber’s Boks, in second place.
All eyes on Dupont
All eyes were on France captain Antoine Dupont, returning from a cheekbone fracture he suffered last month as the host nation eyed a first semi-final spot since they finished runners-up for a third time in 2011.
And 26-year-old Dupont was involved as the French opened the scoring, feeding Damian Penaud who found prop Cyril Baille with a deft pass in the corner to send the Parisian crowd wild.
Full-back Thomas Ramos made it 7-0 with the conversion and despite France seeming to be in control the Springboks reacted quickly as Kurt Lee-Arendse made the most of a bouncing box kick.
Manie Libbok, inconsistent from the tee so far this World Cup but picked ahead of World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard at fly-half, then brought things level after 10 minutes to cap a breathless start to the game.
The Boks benefited from another high ball as centre Damian de Allende crashed over a few phases after collecting a Libbok up-and-under, athough the fly-half missed the extras.
Dupont was again instrumental as he set up Peato Mauvaka for the mobile hooker’s third try of the tournament.
Ramos’ difficult conversion attempt was dramatically charged down by Cheslin Kolbe to make it 12-12 before the Boks took the lead again - those spurned points would prove costly in the final result.
Lock Eben Etzebeth hassled Dupont at a ruck before centre Jesse Kriel set up Kolbe with a grubber kick that he ran onto like an Olympic sprinter. Libbok slotted the extras and the clinical Springboks led 19-12.
An outstandingly open first 30 minutes was wrapped up with the sides level at 19-all as Baille claimed his double.
South Africa went in at the break down a man after Etzebeth was shown a yellow card for making head contact with Uini Atonio as he tackled the mammoth prop.
Ramos slotted the resulting penalty to leave France 22-19 up at the interval.
Redemption for Etzebeth
After just five minutes of the second half Cobus Reinach and Libbok were replaced by Faf De Klerk and Pollard as South Africa made tactical changes that would serve them well.
Etzebeth was booed by the French crowd as he returned from the sin bin.
France were controlling territory and possession as Ramos extended his advantage as the tournament’s top scorer with a penalty to make it 25-19.
But the momentum swung back South Africa’s way as Etzebeth made up for his earlier misdemeanour by crashing over for a try and Pollard’s conversion put the Boks back in front at 26-25 going into the final 15 minutes.
Pollard, from his own half, traded a penalty with Ramos in a nerve-racking ending.
France had possession with the clock in the red, but De Klerk came up with a crucial rip of the ball from the grasp of Reda Wardi, Kurt-Lee Arendse booting the ball out to end French dreams of a first World Cup triumph.
Farrell sends England into World Cup semi-finals with Fiji win
Earlier, Owen Farrell scored a late drop goal and penalty to send England into the Rugby World Cup semi-finals with a tense and nervy 30-24 victory over Fiji.
First-half tries from centres Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant had looked to have sent England on their way to a semi-final against either hosts France or reigning champions South Africa.
But Fiji, who scored tries through Viliame Mata, Peni Ravai and Vilimoni Botitu, produced a stirring fightback in Marseille although in the end Farrell’s 20 points with the boot proved decisive.
That denied Fiji the chance to make history and a first ever last four appearance as they fell at the quarter-final stage for the third time.
“It was what we expected. They are a tough, tough team that can turn it on in the blink of an eye,” said man-of-the-match Farrell.
“I thought we started the game really well. We really got after it in that first half.
“We always knew Fiji were going to have some good patches and they did. To find a way to win and get through to the semi-finals is a big step forward but we know we have plenty of work to do.”
Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui was visibly emotional after the game, but felt his team could have snatched victory.
“I’m a bit speechless at the moment but I couldn’t be prouder of the boys,” he said.
“We made a couple of mistakes today and we didn’t take our chances.
“They’ve showed they belong on the world stage. The whole group, players and staff. It’s a bit of an emotional moment.
“This is a different Fiji team and I think it’s the start of something special.”
The opening to the game was fierce, with Fiji’s famed tacklers to the fore, winning a couple of early turnovers.
But it was after England’s first turnover, claimed by Courtney Lawes, that Farrell was able to kick a simple penalty from under the posts.
Farrell kicked England’s next penalty to the corner and while Fiji held up the initial catch and drive, Tuilagi burst around the blindside to power through two tacklers, twist and stretch his arm over the line to score one-handed.
A brilliant counter-ruck from Fiji set up a penalty for the Pacific Islanders, but Frank Lomani’s kick struck the post.
Lomani did not miss his next chance, though, after a no-arms tackle from Tom Curry and England led 8-3 after the first quarter.
The match seemed to have taken a decisive turn on 24 minutes as England poured forward, with Marchant stepping inside despite an overlap to score a second try.
In the build-up, though, Vinaya Habosi made head-on-head contact with Marcus Smith in the tackle and he was shown a yellow card.
Yet the 14 men rallied.
Lomani missed a second penalty but soon after Fiji struck back as a clever pass through his legs by fly-half Botitu set up No.8 Mata to sell a dummy and dart over.
Although they were outscored with a numerical advantage, England soon wrestled back control and two more Farrell penalties gave them a 21-10 lead at the break.
Flying Fijians come alive
The second half turned into a war of attrition and became increasingly scrappy and fractious, with the two teams’ openside flankers, Curry and Levani Botia, almost coming to blows at one stage.
Farrell kicked a penalty and then saw a long-range effort come up just short.
But the game came alive on 64 minutes when replacement prop Ravai hit a perfect line onto Simione Kuruvoli’s pass to blast over and score.
Suddenly, Fiji had their tails up and after scrum-half Kuruvoli hit the post with a penalty, the Pacific Islanders struck again.
Semi Radradra’s brilliant offload sent Isoa Nasilasila streaking through a gap and he fed Botitu to score Fiji’s third try.
Kuruvoli’s conversion levelled the scores at 24-24.
Farrell had the last word, though, and despite Fiji playing on for almost six minutes after the final hooter, they could not find a winning converted try.
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