England v South Africa LIVE: Rugby World Cup 2023 score and result as Springboks snatch win at the death

Steve Borthwick’s England were agonisingly beaten by reigning champions South Africa to a spot in the 2023 World Cup final where the All Blacks await

South Africa train on eve of RWC semi-final against England

England suffered defeat in the most agonising circumstances as world champions South Africa emerged victorious at the Stade de France to set up a colossal Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand. Steve Borthwick’s men performed admirably and executed a sublime game plan, backing up their quarter-final victory over Fiji behind the magnificent kicking of Owen Farrell.

But the Springboks showed their resilience and rallied late in the second half, also relying on kicking, with Handre Pollard, on after half an hour following a ruthless move to hook the struggling Manie Libbok, shining and subsequently hitting the match-winning penalty. South Africa scored the only try of the match, with RG Snyman bundling over with 12 minutes remaining, cutting the deficit to just two points and allowing Pollard to snatch victory and ensure a mouthwatering encounter with the All Blacks.

Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi admitted the contest was a tough watch at times: "It was ugly today, really ugly, but that's what champions are made of. England, credit to them, they were written off. They showed who they are. All credit to them, my team, it was ugly, but we found a way to fight and get back into the game. I'm really proud of them, especially the guys who came off the bench.

“England did so well in the kicking game, they outplayed us in that, our discipline was awful. But we showed who we are and what we can do. The All Blacks are playing really well, but we want to thank the South Africans who stuck with us and travelled over, next week will be tough, it'll be special, hopefully we can defend it.” Follow all the reaction and analysis from a pulsating semi-final below.

England vs South Africa live

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• Steve Borthwick promises England will ‘grow into something brilliant’ after defeat
• Tom Curry accuses South Africa hooker of racist comment during World Cup semi-final
• South Africa now investigating alleged racist abuse directed at England’s Tom Curry

[21 October 2023 21:12 · Lawrence Ostlere]

England 12-6 South Africa

46 min: A brief pause in play while George Martin is given some treatment. The game resumes with a South African scrum in their own half.

[21 October 2023 21:10 · Lawrence Ostlere]

England 12-6 South Africa

45 min: South Africa have made a few early changes in this second half: Faf de Klerk is on at scrum-half, Willie Le Roux comes on at full-back and RG Snyman replaces their man mountain, Eben Etzebeth. England won’t mind that.

[21 October 2023 21:08 · Lawrence Ostlere]

England 12-6 South Africa

44 min: Brilliant by Owen Farrell, first catching a high ball he had no right to win near the Springbok 22, before bouncing a kick towards the corner, which Willemse slips and slides to grab and ends up knocking off the field. However, Jamie George’s attacking lineout is not straight. A waste.

[21 October 2023 21:06 · Lawrence Ostlere]

England 12-6 South Africa

42 min: A terrible start to the half by South Africa, as Cobus Reinach box-kicks straight up the air to give the ball away. A moment later, England win a penalty in their own half after Damian Willemse prevents Joe Marchant from releasing the ball at the ruck.

[21 October 2023 21:04 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Kick-off! England 12-6 South Africa

Pollard gets the second half under way. South Africa’s players had been out on the pitch early, presumably after a bit of a rollicking.

[21 October 2023 21:02 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Half-time: England 12-6 South Africa

Some images from that first half in Paris:

Owen Farrell lines up an early penalty (AFP via Getty Images)

South Africa’s fly-half Manie Libbok is put under pressure (AFP via Getty Images)

Farrell kicks another England penalty in a near-perfect first half (Getty Images)

Libbok (C) is seen on the bench after he was substituted (AFP via Getty Images)

[21 October 2023 20:59 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Half-time: England 12-6 South Africa

Bryan Hababa is, unsurprisingly, not happy. Speaking on ITV at half-time, Habana is critical of the substitution which saw Libbok hooked for Pollard after half an hour. “I don’t think that’s fair on a guy who’s put his body on the line for the past six weeks for his country,” Hababa says.

He also disagrees with Jonny Wilkinson’s assessment that this semi-final has been a “chess match”, accusing South Africa of simply losing the physical confrontations.

[21 October 2023 20:50 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Half-time: England 12-6 South Africa

40 min: England get hold of the South African restart and run down the clock. O’Keeffe calls on scrum-half Mitchell to stop faffing and use the ball, so he goes on a dash all the way back to his own try line while the clock ticks over to 40 minutes, and kicks it out right on cue.

Half-time, and you have to say that could not have gone much better for England. South Africa, meanwhile, are a bit of a mess.

[21 October 2023 20:48 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Penalty! England 12-6 South Africa (Farrell)

38 min: England have a lineout near the halfway line, and this time they win it and set up a maul. Mitchell kicks up in the air and Jonny May wins a penalty in the high contest after being deliberately impeded by Steph du Toit. The replay suggests that was a good decision by Ben O’Keeffe.

Farrell will go for goal from about 40 yards, on a slight angle – and he nails it through the centre of the posts. Sublime, again.

[21 October 2023 20:43 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Penalty! England 9-6 South Africa (Pollard)

34 min: A mistake by Vunipola, who charges forwards with ball in hand and knocks on, deep in England territory. South Africa then win a penalty at the next breakdown, and they are going to kick a simple goal: Pollard’s first involvement is to add three points.