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Springboks overcome 14-man All Blacks to defend World Cup title
Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus and captain Siya Kolisi can rightfully take their place on the throne of rugby gods after delivering a record fourth World Cup title to the Rainbow Nation.
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After winning the Rugby World Cup for the third time in 2019, the defending champions have gone back-to-back after beating the All Blacks 12-11 at Stade de France in Saturday’s World Cup final.
The All Blacks played most of the Test with 14 men after a red card to captain Sam Cane, and while the New Zealanders had opportunities to snatch the crown, it wasn’t to be.
The Springboks are the 2023 Rugby World Cup champions.
With rain trickling down from the heavens at Stade de France, both teams grouped into their own huddles mere moments before the opening whistle.
This was it. For both the Springboks and All Blacks, this was their opportunity to immortalise themselves into Rugby World Cup history as champions.
There was a palpable sense of nervousness, anticipation and excitement as New Zealand fullback Beauden Barrett kicked off the Test. After seven weeks and 47 games, the final was here.
But disaster struck almost immediately for the All Blacks. Shannon Frizell was sent to the sin bin after just two-and-a-half minutes of play.
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An anxious eight minutes followed as the incident went under review, and while the flanker avoided an unimaginable red card, it didn’t aid the All Blacks’ cause for a fourth crown.
Springboks playmaker Handre Pollard converted two penalties as the defending World Cup champions raced out a hard-fought six-nil lead before Frizell returned to the field.
The All Blacks had their backs against the ropes. South Africa were playing with passion, skill and confidence as the New Zealanders failed to show much during the first 15 minutes.
But a team like the All Blacks is more than capable of deploying a damaging counter-punch, and they came within inches of doing just that.
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Playing with an advantage, a clever Jordie Barrett chip-kick found the deck inside the Springboks’ 22, and it also paid off as backrower Ardie Savea fought after the ball in desperation. But the opportunity to score alluded the Player of the Year nominee – but only just.
Back to the advantage, the All Blacks as flyhalf Richie Mo’unga knocked over the All Blacks’ first shot at goal for the night.
Chants of ‘All Blacks, All Blacks, All Blacks’ erupted in a pocket of the stadium as the New Zealanders set-up to receive the kick-off, but the Boks were up for the fight once again.
Moments after turning over the ball, referee Wayne Barnes awarded another penalty in the Springboks’ favour. Pollard added another three to their lead from long-range.
The next eight minutes were far from uneventful, but no points were scored. New Zealand threw everything at the Boks but the 2019 champions stood firm in defence.
But then the match took another turn. All Blacks captain Sam Cane was sent to the sin bin under review, and that incident was later upgraded to a red card.
It was the first red card in men’s Rugby World Cup final history.
Attack 
221
Passes
84
149
Ball Carries
85
388m
Post Contact Metres
191m
7
Line Breaks
4
Pollard and Mo’unga traded penalty goals as the Springboks carried a tense six-point lead into the break. It was anyone’s game, but the All Blacks were up against it.
In another stunning twist, Springboks captain Siya Kolisi was sent to the sin bin – under review – for a high shot just four minutes into the half, but this remained a yellow.
The All Blacks almost made the most of it, too, with Richie Mo’unga setting up veteran Aaron Smith for what appeared to be a try. New Zealand – yes, the country – must’ve gone berserk.
But referee Barnes called the play back for an earlier infringement. No try was scored but the All Blacks had a penalty.
Fans let out a chorus of boos and cheers as referee Barnes made that call official.
The All Blacks continued to pester the Springboks’ try line after being awarded a series of penalties, and eventually, it paid off. Jordie Barrett threw a miracle cut-out pass to Mark Tele’a out wide, which led to brother Beauden Barrett scoring moments later.
Mo’unga missed the conversion but the All Blacks were back in the fight.
With just one point separating the teams, New Zealand looked the more threatening but they weren’t able to land a killer blow as the final entered a tense final quarter.
Whether they were filled with confidence, fear or a combination of the two, fans found it impossible to look away as the Test headed towards an ending fit for a final.
More chants of ‘All Blacks, All Blacks’ echoed throughout the Parisian venue as Springboks fans, quite uncharacteristically, sat in silence.
Knockout
11 - 12
Final
6 - 44
SF1
15 - 16
SF2
17 - 29
QF1
24 - 28
QF2
30 - 24
QF3
28 - 29
QF4
The clock continued to tick by. Tick, tock, tick, tock – but no points were scored. But the All Blacks mounted an impressive-looking counter-attack that ended up having a big say on the Test.
Wing Cheslin Kolbe was sent to the sin bin for knocking the ball down and the All Blacks were awarded a penalty. Jordie Barrett lined up a shot at goal.
But he missed.
The Springboks held on for that little bit longer. Only five minutes remained.
Eventually, It came down to one scrum. The Springboks held on and the Springboks, rightfully, celebrated in an incredible state of euphoria.
For the first time ever, the Springboks had gone back-to-back.
And with that, the 2023 Rugby World Cup was over. At the end of the tournament’s 48th Test, South Africa have beaten New Zealand in a thrilling final at Stade de France.
The world was in union.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
3 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments