Yokohama (Japan) (AFP)

Two soloists to complete the South African triumph: Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, on the winding course before being launched by coach Rassie Erasmus, made their legs and their talent speak in the World Cup final against England (32-12), Saturday in Yokohama.

They are the symbol of the other side of these Springboks 2019, fierce in front but also electric behind.

Mapimpi hit the first, hitting a kick to go for himself, which center Lukhayo Am took over, giving him a 15-point lead fifteen minutes from time. to South Africa. His sixth try in the competition, to a length of the best scorer, the Welsh Josh Adams. And his 14th in 14 selections!

Placed on the other wing, Kolbe imitated seven minutes later, one of his class actions that delight the fans of Toulouse and spectators of the Top 14 for two years: acceleration to get rid of Joe Marler then framing overflow on English captain Owen Farrell to fold the case. His eighth achievement in ... 14 capes too.

They have the same number, both launched by the coach Rassie Erasmus in the year of his arrival at the head of the Boks in 2018; in June for Mapimpi, at the age of 28; in September for Kolbe, shortly before his 25th birthday.

Five years before his international debut, Mapimpi was not even professional, he who "comes from the countryside" and is "not passed by youth teams".

"I played in a small club, and my childhood buddies said to me," You can do it. "I told them," But how? Nobody follows me! ", He says in a shy voice after third title of world champion Boks.

- "I do not play for myself" -

But he started climbing the ladder, "in Cape Town, then Stellenbosh" before joining the Border Bulldogs, a team that plays in Currie Cup, the South African championship.

"There, I played against guys who had played Super Rugby and I thought I could do it," he continues. But the Border go bankrupt, and Mapimpi finds refuge on the side of the Southern Kings, Super Rugby, where he makes his hole before exploding with the Sharks (Durban) in 2018.

"That means a lot to me because I've come a long way since my campaign, but God is good, I've worked hard, it's my first World Cup and I win it. the guys from the countryside, who have not been to private schools, I do not just play for me, "he says.

Kolbe, he was in the radars of the federation. But rather for the "Blitzboks", the national team VII, with which he won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

- Kolbe, best player of the year? -

But, considered too small (1.70, 80 kg) for the South African guns, the former player of the Stormers was not considered at fifteen, before the arrival of Rassie Erasmus. That coincided with his departure for Toulouse, in the summer of 2017, where he quickly established himself as one of the top players in the Top 14, with his ability to create gaps, for himself or his teammates, to sneak in small perimeters thanks to its supports and its very low center of gravity.

Until winning the title of champion of France in June, and thus to complete his sublime year by a world crown, after seeing missed the semi-final against Wales (19-16), insufficiently recovered from an injury to the left ankle contracted against Italy in chickens.

Erasmus did not estimate it 100%, but immediately put it back into the starting XV once it was restored. One way to show that it was indispensable in the conquest of the title.

"Cheslin was amazing, he scores from scratch," said scrum half Faf De Klerk.

He still has one last reward to go, that of best player of the year. "Nobody deserves it more than him, it's such a humble guy," Klerk said. Answer Sunday, Tokyo.

© 2019 AFP