Remember this one?
WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: South Africa and Wales will face off in the semifinal on Sunday. Can you remember the last time they went head-to-head at the global showpiece?
The occasion was the quarterfinal on 17 October 2015.
The Springboks won 23-19, courtesy of a moment of magic.
Wales were leading 19-18 with five minutes remaining, when the South Africa captain, Fourie du Preez, fed the ball into an attacking scrum that was just to the left of Welsh team’s posts. As the scrum continued to wheel, the Wales replacement scrumhalf Lloyd Williams, followed it around and left the Welsh right-hand side defended by the wing Alex Cuthbert.
Du Preez had made a run to the right, luring Williams, and as soon as the No.8 Duane Vermeulen picked up the ball from the back of the scrum, no inconsiderable feat in itself, the scrumhalf switched direction with an alacrity that flat-footed his opposite number. Vermeulen kept two Welsh defenders busy and he slipped the ball out of the back of his hand for Du Preez to gather as he made his arcing run to the left-hand corner.
Du Preez scored the match-winning try. It was planned and drilled in training, then executed to perfection by the players.
* Watch below how the Bok duo executed the try that knocked Wales out of the World Cup in 2015.
As an interesting aside, 10 South African players that featured in that win, are likely to be back for Sunday’s Yokohama showdown.
Nine started back in 2015 – loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira, tight-head prop Frans Malherbe, locks Eben Etzebeth and Lodewyk de Jager, flank Francois Louw, Vermeulen, flyhalf Handre Pollard, centre Damian de Allende and fullback Willie le Roux.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, now a regular starter, played off the bench in 2015.
Pollard kicked five penalties and a drop-goal. Du Preez scored the match-winning try.
