South Africa won Rugby World Cup 2023 after holding off New Zealand in a dramatic final at Stade de France. Like this, South Africa became the first nation to win four Rugby World Cup titles.
Four Handre Pollard penalties to two from Richie Mo’unga gave the Springboks a 12-6 lead after a first half in which All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell was sin-binned for an incident in which Mbongeni Mbonambi was forced off injured. Then New Zealand captain Sam Cane became the first player to be sent off in a RWC final for a high tackle on Jesse Kriel.
Siya Kolisi and Kurt-Lee Arendse both went close for South Africa before Kolisi was yellow-carded as the All Blacks fought back. Aaron Smith was denied a try for an earlier knock-on before Beauden Barrett touched down to bring them to within a point.
There was late drama as Cheslin Kolbe was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and Jordie Barrett missed a long-range penalty that might have won it for New Zealand as the Springboks maintained their perfect record in finals, adding to their crowns in 1995, 2007 and 2019.
“I guess as a team we like drama,” Mastercard Player of the Match, Pieter-Steph du Toit, who made 28 tackles, said. “The last three games have been quite tough. We played each one as a final and each one was [won] by one point.
New Zealand captain Sam Cane said he was “extremely gutted and disappointed. First of all that the guys had to play with 14 men for the last 50-odd minutes. The courage they showed was incredible, the whole team are absolute warriors. Well done to South Africa. They have had a heck of a tough road to the final and they have shown time and again they have a way to win.”