SA v England: Who will join New Zealand in Rugby World Cup final?

It is easy to draw the conclusion that the Springboks have taken the bigger leap over the last four years than their Rugby World Cup semifinal rivals England. 

The finalists from four years ago are at it again, this time under the lights of the Stade de France on Saturday and the roles are a reversed in much of the prematch chat. 

England went into the final, chests out, bulging in confidence after their shock 19-7 defeat of the All Blacks in the semifinals four years ago.

The Boks by contrast, had plodded their way to a 19-16 arm-wrestle win over Wales in the other semifinal. 

It's the Springboks who will this time take the field having scaled higher peaks in their journey to the business end of the tournament. 

They may not have conquered all but they've experienced its rarefied air which will help them when the breathing gets heavy in battles ahead. 

England will be keen to remind them that they are the only unbeaten team among the semi-finalists but detractors might point to the fact they emerged from a shallow pool. 

Perhaps the main reason the Springboks are being talked of as clear favourites is the way they have evolved their game over the last while.

The slow but inexorable march of their forwards has increasingly been complemented by backs who blitz into pockets of space and beyond. 

They've had to evolve.

Their unambitious set-piece, territory and defence-orientated game has had to be remodelled, not completely but enough to meet the challenges as they currently present themselves. 

The Boks have been mindful that contesting the game in congested places brings the quirks of the referee into play.

They may not get the rub of the green. 

Taking the ball into wide open spaces, however, should present the officials clearer pictures. 

Teams who are less proficient at set pieces have developed strategies to limit the number of formal contests for the ball.

By way of example, the All Blacks, perhaps aware Ireland packs a bigger punch in the scrums, did not allow the team in green a single feed at scrum time in their quarterfinal. 

And so teams are less inclined to combat the Boks at set piece.

Already they are not mauling with the regularity they used to. 

England of course will go into the semifinal needing no reminding what happened to their scrum four years ago.

With a scrum that showed as much structural integrity as a flaky croissant, they were gobbled up at set piece handing the Boks a firm footing from which to launch. 

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, however, was keen to alert that England's Class of '23 are a different breed. 

“In the past year they're a totally different team. They started slow under their new coach (Steve) Borthwick. There have made a lot of changes in how they do things.

“If you look at the way they are kicking, they are probably the closest team to France, the number of times they kick in a game. Even against a team like Chile they'll probably go over 40 kicks in the game,” said Stick. 

That perhaps explains the retention of Willie le Roux on the bench, along with Handré Pollard. 

“That shows you there is a bit of a tweak in how they do things. Against Fiji they showed they can also be physical. 

“They are a totally different team to 2019. We will never underestimate them.” 

Teams 

England — Freddie Steward; Jonny May, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly; Owen Farrell (captain), Alex Mitchell; Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Cortney Lawes; George Martin, Maro Itoje; Dan Cole, Jamie George, Joe Marler.

Substitutes: Theo Dan, Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Billy Vunipola, Danny Care, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence 

South Africa — Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Manie Libbok, Cobus Reinach; Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain); Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth; Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff.

Substitutes: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Handré Pollard, Willie le Roux. 

Referee: Ben O'Keefe (NZ) 

Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ire), Paul Williams (NZ) 

TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZ) 

Kickoff: 9pm