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Wales\u2019 World Cup dream ended in Yokohama as they made another painful semi-final exit after losing 19-16 to South Africa.<\/p>\nWales\u2019 World Cup dream ended in Yokohama as they made another painful semi-final exit after losing 19-16 to South Africa.<\/p>\n
The Springboks will face England in next Saturday\u2019s final following fly-half Handre Pollard\u2019s match-winning penalty four minutes from time.<\/p>\n
Pollard kicked 14 points and center Pollard kicked 14 points and center Damian de Allende scored a try, with their opponents replying through wing Josh Adams\u2019 Wales record-equalling sixth try in one World Cup, three Dan Biggar penalties and a Leigh Halfpenny conversion.<\/p>\n
For Wales, who were semi-final casualties against France eight years ago when captain Sam Warburton was sent off, it proved an agonizing experience.<\/p>\n
Their hopes of confirming a first all-northern hemisphere Rugby World Cup final were dashed and they also lost wing George North and prop Tomas Francis to first-half injuries.<\/p>\n
Wales now play New Zealand in the third and fourth place play-off. It will be head coach Warren Gatland\u2019s final game at the helm before he steps down after 12 years.<\/p>\n
England and South Africa, though, will contest a second final 12 years after the last one that the Springboks narrowly clinched.<\/p>\n
Halfpenny was among three changes made by Gatland, replacing ankle-injury victim Liam Williams, while number eight Ross Moriarty took over from Josh Navidi and fit-again centre Jonathan Davies returned for Owen Watkin.<\/p>\n
South Africa were without injured wing Cheslin Kolbe, so S\u2019bu Nikosi deputized and Springboks scrum-half Faf de Klerk made an immediate contribution through a kick and chase into Wales\u2019 22, but North cleared the danger and Wales moved confidently up field.<\/p>\n
Both teams readily resorted to tactical kicking, but Wales looked to have a more creative spark about them, with scrum-half Gareth Davies prominent as he marked reaching 50 caps.<\/p>\n
The opening 10 minutes, though, were a considerable notch down in terms of pace and intensity on England\u2019s semi-final against New Zealand.<\/p>\n
South Africa looked to attack off first-phase ball as De Klerk pulled the strings and his half-back partner Pollard kicked the Springboks ahead through a 15th-minute penalty.<\/p>\n
But that score was cancelled out three minutes later when Biggar found the target with a wide-angled penalty, only for Wales to concede a scrum penalty in a game dominated by set-pieces, and Pollard stepped up to make it 6-3.<\/p>\n
England head coach Eddie Jones and his defense specialist John Mitchell watched from the stands as both sides struggled to find any pattern or rhythm.<\/p>\n
There was precious little ambition either, with boot to ball being the dominant and predictable approach.<\/p>\n
Wales needed to get some width on their game and stretch a Springboks outfit seemingly intent on a no-frills approach, despite De Klerk\u2019s verve, but Pollard\u2019s reliable boot then put them six points clear.<\/p>\n
It was a dismal end to the first-half for Wales, despite Biggar kicking a second penalty, as Francis and North departed the action in rapid succession.<\/p>\n
Biggar gave Wales just the start they needed to the second period, kicking them level with a third penalty.<\/p>\n
With the stakes so high, there appeared little chance of the game opening up, and it was 9-9 with 30 minutes left.<\/p>\n
Tries by De Allende and Adams \u2013 both converted \u2013 meant the game appeared to be heading towards extra-time.<\/p>\n
Adams\u2019 score matched the Wales best for one World Cup tournament set by Shane Williams, but South Africa had just enough in the attack to shade an attritional encounter.<\/p>\n
In the end, in came down to Pollard keeping his nerve as South Africa inched to the final and crestfallen Wales were left to reflect on what might have been.<\/p>\n