Springboks blitz England to win third World Cup Rugby

South Africa stunned pre-match favourites England 32-12 with a brutally effective forward display to win their third World Cup Rugby in Yokohama on Saturday.
The Springboks’ victory was built on a colossal performance by their powerhouse pack that allowed fly-half Handre Pollard to kick six penalties before Makazole Mapimpi’s 66th-minute try-the first the Springboks had scored in a World Cup final.
Fit-again fellow flyer Cheslin Kolbe then crossed from the other wing to put the result beyond doubt and set off celebrations for the South African public.
Victory ensured the Springboks made it three wins from three World Cup final appearances-after missing the first two editions because of apartheid-and maintained their record of being crowned champions at 12-year intervals following their 1995 and 2007 triumphs.
Saturday’s win also saw South Africa become the first team to win a World Cup having lost in pool play, after their opening defeat by reigning champions New Zealand.
It was a tactical triumph for South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus, who has overseen a Springbok revival after taking charge two years ago following a miserable 2016.
And there was heavy symbolism when Siya Kolisi, South Africa’s first black captain, lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in a moment to rival 1995, when then president Nelson Mandela was on hand to congratulate Francois Pienaar’s victorious team.
“We have so many problems in our country but a team like this, we come from different backgrounds, different races but we came together with one goal and we wanted to achieve it,” Kolisi said.
“I really hope we’ve done that for South Africa. Just shows that we can pull together if we want to achieve something.”