“The big thing about them is that their attack is phenomenal”.
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“In 2007 it was a rarity for us to play against South Africa”, he told reporters ahead of the match at Twickenham.
“I take it personally and there are one or two calls I will reflect on but it’s been a huge honour to serve my country”.
The two star wings, Julian Savea and Bryan Habana were both snuffed out of the game.
Pollard lined up another penalty attempt as South Africa pressed, but it was reversed by Garces for a neck-roll tackle by veteran Springboks substitute Victor Matfield, and New Zealand cleared the danger.
The All Blacks stole four lineouts, but the Springboks earned a scrum tighthead and vital scrum penalties.
Meanwhile, New Zealand was conceding penalties at an alarming rate and, critically, each time South Africa dipped a toe in their territory.
“I thought we had a flawless first half, I thought we executed well, we had the right gameplan and our discipline was 100% intact and we kept hem under pressure and we built scoreboard pressure”, Meyer said. “Today was a special occasion”.
New Zealand moved into the final next weekend against either Australia, another two-time champion, or Argentina. Hansen was hoping those teams “smash each other” in the semifinal on Sunday.
The All Blacks, trying to become the first team to win consecutive World Cups, showed their desire to leave no stone unturned during the halftime break while trailing 12-7, when they came out of their dressing room early and went through running and passing exercises on the field in the rain. Even their reserves did the same.
By the time the Springboks came out, the All Blacks had huddled and refocused.
However, that did not prove too costly, as Dan Carter landed a rare drop-goal in the 46th minute to reduce the deficit to 12-10.
Another six minutes after that, New Zealand used a knock-on by South Africa’s Schalk Burger in his 22, to quickly find where the South African defense was thinnest.
Barrett, who came on for injured winger Nehe Milner-Skudder, crossed in the corner in the Test’s pivotal moment after second five-eighth Ma’a Nonu cleverly created space.
The Kiwis ran in two tries to none, but paid for ill-discipline as South Africa profited from a 13-6 penalty count and led 12-7 at halftime thanks to four kicks by Handre Pollard.
The try was a double blow for South Africa. Jerome Kaino was yellow carded for a few silly foul play and the rain started to fall on Twickenham.
Penalties to Pollard and his replacement Patrick Lambie were sandwiched by three more points to Carter as the game descended into kick-dominated trench warfare over the final quarter.
They briefly threatened when a rolling maul took them into penalty range but New Zealand, lessons learned, made sure they stayed on the right side of the ref.
“Being in that environment, playing that opposition with that sort of intensity, is why you play the game”.
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Centre Juan Martin Hernandez, flyhalf in 2007, said the Pumas were then a more defensive side who pounced on their opponents’ mistakes to counter-attack.
