England v South Africa and New Zealand v Argentina showed Handre Pollard enjoys pressure; and Will Jordan is on course to make history
Old hands know how to get the job done; Handre Pollard enjoys pressure; and Will Jordan is on course to make historySouth Africa's Pieter-Steph du Toit celebrates after his team's win over England in Saturday's Rugby World Cup semi-final. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wireand that will remain the case for at least another four years.
In the semi-finals four years ago, Handre Pollard landed five from five, including a 77th-minute penalty to seal a turgid 19-16 win over Wales, before kicking 22 points in the final. Surprisingly omitted from the original Boks’ squad, and unsurprisingly added to it after one run-out with Leicester, he is a man who knows how to make an impact – and when he teed up his near 50-metre penalty against England in the 77th minute, few had any doubt what would happen next.
Afterwards Pollard gave an insight into his ice-cool attitude. “It was a big moment but it is what you want as a player, to be on this stage,” he said."To have moments like that as a fly-half is what you live for. It was fun.”Will Jordan will set a new try-scoring record if he adds to his tally in the Rugby World Cup final. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
The All Blacks vintage of 2015 proved that the last dance can be a powerful spur, and eight years on the Springboks have the oldest squad in the tournament, with 17 30-somethings, while New Zealand are facing a flight of wild geese proportions to Japan.
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