South Africa advances by the Rugby World Cup as the elephants. At a slow pace and with a lot of patience, but making the ground shake when it loads, hugged, its front. This has been planted in the final after beating Wales on Sunday with more kilos of muscle than carats of rugby. His coach, Erasmus , has tattooed the team a game plan: wear in the first part and sentence when time is dying. His last challenge is to defeat England in a streak that also aspires to reign.

The semifinal was not very colorful and very tactical, with greater commitment on both sides to not lose than to win. The first South African advance was born from a melee in the center of the field, from which Klerk's half Faf started with a deep kick from the closed side. The offensive stayed a few meters from the mark, but made it clear who leads the baton in 'the Springboks '. He also evidenced the bet of both teams for the kicks, either to get away from their sticks, or to pressure the receivers. With the foot came all points of the first half: two punches of punishment converted by the Welshman Biggar by three transformed by the South African Pollard (6-9).

Only the Europeans tried in some occasion that the ball circulated to the hand by its line to look for a hollow or a numerical superiority. When the oval did not fly above the heads, it was almost buried in the ground. And there, immaculate like a jackhammer, South African strikers were percussing. His team was surpassed in possession and in territorial domain in the first 40 minutes. And yet, he got better balls, dominated the rhythm, eroded the opponent tirelessly.

No luck Wales with injuries. The George North wing, one of its fastest threats in attack, joined the half-dozen key players he has lost since he faced World Cup preparation. However, Gatland's team achieved its goal in the first 40 minutes. 'The Dragon's' were outdated but kept the victory options. And in fact they tied, again thanks to the foot of the Biggar opening, in the resumption (9-9).

The fatigue bill came to the Welsh in the 56th minute. First the Pollard opening and then De Allende center broke several tackle until the second posed the ball. The seven points of disadvantage (9-16) seemed too much for the red game. And yet he rose again on the next play. 21 phases of header attack on the opposite brand line. He did not pass the trench but started a punishment stroke and, against prognosis, asked for melee. At the start he conquered at hand the Adams wing rehearsal, the best scorer of the tournament, who with the Halfpenny transformation matched the clash (16-16). It was a moment of magic amid so much cement.

Ten minutes left and the game was going to be decided by details. The alternate opening of Wales, Rhys Patchell, attempted the drop. Water. In the opposite field, the South African maul started the punishment stroke. Pollard did not forgive (16-19). There were four minutes left and the Springboks, rather than conserving the ball, chose to kick it in the opposite direction. The clock did the rest.

Painful defeat for Wales . A well armed team very difficult to bend. A block that now has to face, already very worn, the All Blacks for third place. He played his tricks, touched the final, but ran into South Africa. So far, a steamroller. It runs little, it does not stop, it never gets out of control and hardly leaves room for it to be advanced. On Saturday, against England, he will fight for his third World Cup.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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