South Africa Springboks will now face England in next Saturday’s World Cup final after defeating Wales 19-16 in an intense Semi Final in Yokohoma.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for a patched up Wales who had their World Cup dream ended by a late Handre Pollard penalty.
It had been nip and tuck all the way but Wales never led the Springboks and the final penalty was conceded from a South Africa driving lineout.
Wales have the scant consolation of the bronze medal match against New Zealand next Friday night in Tokyo in Warren Gatland’s last game in charge.
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England meanwhile are into their first Rugby World Cup final in 12 years after a brilliant demolition of three-time world champions New Zealand.
England led 10-0 through a Manu Tuilagi’s second-minute try and a long-range penalty from George Ford fitting reward for a blistering first half.
The 2003 winners could have been out of sight had tries for Sam Underhill and Ben Youngs not been ruled out by the video referee, but when Ardie Savea pounced on a wayward line-out throw to reduce the deficit to 13-7 the three-time world champions were on the charge.
Yet the superb Ford landed a trio of nerveless penalties and with the young dynamos Underhill and Tom Curry outstanding in the back row England held on in style to pull off one of their greatest victories.
The All Blacks had not lost a World Cup game in 12 years and had won 15 of the past 16 games between the two nations.
But four years after crashing out at the group stage England tore the crown from their head with a performance of unremitting energy and excellence on a night for the ages in Yokohama.
