Yokohama (Japan) (AFP)

Maximum success rate (100%) against the goal, including the penalty of the "win", and a decisive inspiration in hand: the opener Handré Pollard took South Africa to the semi-finals of the World Cup, Sunday against Wales (19-16), in Yokohama.

He had converted all his previous attempts, he still had to pass the most important, four minutes from the end, while the score was 16-16. Mission accomplished, to send the Springboks in the final next Saturday against England.

Pollard liked to find himself in this situation under high tension, in this role of scorer, responsible for converting the advances of his forwards.

"Of course, you have to control your nerves, but it's your job, you know it, you train yourself mentally for that, every day to stop for it.An opener and a scorer want to find themselves in this kind of situation, feel that kind of pressure, "he said after the match.

The Bulls player, Pretoria, was also decisive on the only test of his team (57th): served by his scrum half Faf Klerk, he repiquifies inside to infiltrate the Welsh defense and create a breakthrough . Several game times later, Damian De Allende ends up behind the line.

One of the rare occasions when Pollard (25 years old, 47 sel.), Full opener, attacked the line, after having used and abused kicks, according to the game plan that the Boks had set.

"The Welsh do not give much, they are often 13 or 14 on the same line in defense, and when you hit, you know you'll kick back," he said.

"We had to be patient: there would be important moments, some less, we said to ourselves: + just try to win most of these moments +".

- Septicemia -

The "Boks" did it, to reach the final four years after failing in the last four (defeat 20-18 against New Zealand).

Pollard was already wearing N.10, having been launched into the big international swim in the summer of 2014, just 20 years old, just a week after leading the under-20s in the World Championship final, which he was crowned best player.

Promised a sustainable stay at the opening of the Boks, the former resident of the prestigious Paarl Gimnasium near Cape Town - one of the factories champions of South African rugby - however saw his momentum stopped after the 2015 World Cup.

In fact, he breaks the cruciate ligaments of a knee at the beginning of 2016. He then takes the opportunity to have one shoulder operated, but after this second operation he contracted a septicemia, a bacterial infection.

He will not find the grounds until more than a year later, before gradually relegate to the background Elton Jantjies to take the place of open owner Springboks, who can say thank you.

© 2019 AFP