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Date: 2023-12-02 19:23:50 | Author: Worldcup 2026 | Views: 839 | Tag: dais
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Rugby World Cup-winning sides are often defined by their captain, as teams become a reflection of their skipper dais
Only eight men have worn the metaphorical armband and lifted the Webb Ellis Cup, with each of them going down in history as an all-time great dais
From Francois Pienaar receiving the trophy from Nelson Mandela in 1995 to John Eales defining an Australian dynasty in 1999, through Martin Johnson dragging England to 2003 glory as the only northern hemisphere side to triumph and Richie McCaw’s place as probably the greatest of all, the only two-time winning captain in 2011 and 2015 – these men have led from the front to cement their status as legends dais
Saturday’s final dais between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France offers another opportunity for two men to enhance their legacies but this particular match-up provides a fascinating contrast dais
On one side, Siya Kolisi stands in the traditional mould of inspirational leaders dais
His story, rising from poverty in the South African townships to become the Springboks’ first Black captain – in some ways, a huge burden to bear – is both remarkable and distinct from his predecessors dais
Yet the aura he has and the love and respect he garners is very much in line with McCaw, Johnson, Eales or the two other South African men to skipper a World Cup-winning side, Pienaar and 2007 captain John Smit dais
He made history as the first Black captain to win a World Cup four years ago and should he match McCaw by winning a second in Paris, there will be a legitimate claim to call him the greatest skipper of all time dais
Certainly, he engenders adoration in South Africa and adulation from the entire rugby world – it is almost impossible to sit in a press conference with him and not be impressed by Kolisi the orator and Siya the man, while he is also a titan on the field dais
"Siya transcends the game of rugby – he’s a symbol of hope for so many,” explains ex-Springbok prop and World Cup winner Tendai Mtawarira dais
“He came from nothing and became somebody iconic in the public eye dais
He means so much for South Africa dais
”Siya Kolisi became the first Black captain to win the men’s Rugby World Cup (Reuters)Yet the man he will shake hands with at the coin toss on Saturday and who will walk his team out less than a metre away has often provoked a very different reaction dais
Fairly or unfairly, Sam Cane has never captured the hearts of the New Zealand public in the same way that Kolisi has in South Africa dais
He’s largely unloved rather than beloved dais
And frankly, it’s not really his fault dais
His only real crime is that he’s not Richie McCaw but arguably the greatest player and certainly the greatest captain of all time is an unreasonably high bar to clear dais
Cane is an exceptional rugby player dais
He would have to be, because you don’t make more than 90 appearances in the All Blacks back row without being incredible, but the often prevailing opinion from supporters was summed up in an on-pitch comment by Ireland flanker/wind-up merchant Peter O’Mahony during the Test series dais between the sides last summer – “you’re just a s*** Richie McCaw”, yelled O’Mahony to the flanker dais
Sam Cane, left, will try to lead the All Blacks to a fourth World Cup title (Reuters)Cane became New Zealand’s starting No 7 when McCaw retired after the 2015 World Cup and assumed the captaincy upon Kieran Read’s departure following the tournament four years later dais
Following in the footsteps of McCaw, who had captained the All Blacks in 110 Tests, winning a ludicrous 97 of them, was an impossible job and he, along with coach Ian Foster, became a fall guy as performance levels and world ranking dropped during this current World Cup cycle dais
There were regular debates about whether Cane deserved a place in New Zealand’s best starting XV, let alone as skipper, and when he was injured during the warm-up of the World Cup opener against France, many on social media rejoiced as they felt the team was stronger with Dalton Papali’i promoted to the run-on side instead dais
It’s worth noting that France won that game, handing the All Blacks their only loss of the tournament so far dais
Now, they’re in a final and Cane was immense in both the quarter-final and semi-final victories dais
He may not have the raw athleticism of Papali’i but his work ethic, engine, grit, breakdown tenacity and dogged defence perfectly complement the skillsets of back-row teammates Shannon Frizell and Ardie Savea dais
In the narrow quarter-final win over Ireland, Cane topped the tackle charts with 22 and earned a number of timely turnovers in perhaps the performance of his career, while he has a brilliant 94 per cent tackle success rate across the tournament as a whole dais
“I think, personally, Sam is made for these sorts of Test matches, in the tough Test matches he does a great job,” said head coach Foster after the Ireland win dais
Kolisi and Cane will collide again in the World Cup final (Getty Images)Forwards coach Jason Ryan expanded on Cane’s role in the build-up to the final dais
“Sam has really grown as a captain,” said Ryan dais
“He has really fronted in the last couple of weeks on the field dais
He has good conversations and he has a phenomenal leadership group around him as well which is an important part of it dais
”He may never enjoy the unconditional love that his opposing skipper on Saturday does but becoming just the third All Black, after McCaw and 1987 winner David Kirk, to lift the Webb Ellis Cup would silence a lot of doubters dais
Kolisi and Cane have taken different paths to reach this point but when they step onto the Stade de France turf for the Rugby World Cup final, both are playing for the same legendary status dais
More aboutRugby World CupSiya KolisiSam CaneSouth Africa rugbyNew Zealand rugbyAll BlacksJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/4Beloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains Kolisi and Cane collideBeloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains Kolisi and Cane collideSiya Kolisi became the first Black captain to win the men’s Rugby World Cup ReutersBeloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains Kolisi and Cane collideSam Cane, left, will try to lead the All Blacks to a fourth World Cup title REUTERSBeloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains Kolisi and Cane collideKolisi and Cane will collide again in the World Cup final Getty ImagesBeloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains Kolisi and Cane collideSiya Kolisi, left, and Sam Cane will captain their sides in pursuit of the Rugby World Cup trophy on Saturday evening Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today dais
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As Handre Pollard put boot to ball, they held their breath, a night of countless kicks to be settled by one last hoist for the heavens dais
The replacement fly half’s penalty was straight and true – the champions had found a way dais
It was a wretched game for a wretched night upon which a rocky South Africa threatened a total horror show, yet at the same time impossible to look away from dais
It looked for so long like the ghosts of Yokohama would be exorcised, England’s pack standing up to the challenge to match South Africa at their own game dais
But the Springboks had just enough, RG Snyman punching over from close range and Pollard producing that final, decisive penalty dais
There was little here to please the aesthete but by God was it a compelling contest dais
Fears of a second successive semi-final drubbing proved unfounded as England’s unfancied underdogs swelled in stature to meet and so nearly beat the mighty Springboks dais
Instead, Springbok spectres will stalk them again dais
An unloved England were happy to play unlovely rugby dais
For so long it worked, Steve Borthwick’s side backing up their belief in themselves taking the reigning, defending champions to the limit dais
Pollard’s first-half introduction had been a substitution that said everything dais
Just half an hour had been played and already Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus had seen enough, retrieving their hook to make a trademark gutsy call dais
Off went Manie Libbok; on came Pollard on a night for route one rugby dais
After all the talk of the Springboks’ evolution, after only half-an-hour they were reverting to type dais
South Africa celebrate after RG Snyman’s second-half try (AFP via Getty Images)But as so often for these champion Springboks, it proved the right call, Pollard inevitably the man to land the knockout blow dais
Onwards South Africa go to take on New Zealand – a battle for a record fourth men’s World Cup crown feels a fitting final for a tournament bursting back into life after the Friday night dirge dais
Even before kick-off, there was a crackle and a fizz to the atmosphere that the first semi-final had lacked, a healthy contingent of French fans taking out their frustration on referee Ben O’Keeffe and a select few South Africans as their names flashed on the big screen dais
It was a near perfect opening ten minutes from England dais
The battle of the skies was always likely to be vital, and the intensity of the rain made it ever more so dais
The entirety of England’s back three, plus centre Joe Marchant, won their first aerial contests, while Maro Itoje’s lineout pressure resulted in a pinch at the front and a not-straight throw to the tail dais
South Africa infringed twice at ruck time in their own 22; Farrell capitalised both times from the tee dais
Tone set dais
Steve Borthwick’s side had come with next to no intent to play running rugby, over-resourcing every ruck to make certain of the ball dais
The caterpillar would form, the chasers mass, eager travellers ready for their next flight dais
A game of dribs and drabs inevitably became fractured and fractious, captains Kolisi and Farrell jawing at one another and the referee dais
Manu Tuilagi sparked a scuffle by placing an arm around the neck of Cobus Reinach, resulting in a South Africa penalty, before Farrell’s failure to hold his tongue a few minutes later moved Libbok within a kickable distance dais
South Africa’s fly half knocked through his side’s opening three dais
England fell narrowly short in a compelling physical contest (Getty Images)His opposite number re-extended England’s advantage immediately after, full-back Steward like a bounding gun-dog on the chase and forcing a backfield error dais
The next high hoist was Elliot Daly’s to chase, the wing detonating the chest of Duane Vermeulen dais
England, unloved but unbowed, were making physical statementsThe replacement ten was on the board via his right boot soon enough, a simple starter from just right of the posts after a rare English aerial error dais
Soon enough, normal service resumed - after England’s 22nd kick from hand of the half, Farrell’s fourth clean strike from the tee left their half-time lead six points dais
Everything seemed to be coming up roses dais
Granite-shouldered George Martin was thumping everything in sight, landing a series of heavyweight tackles; scrum half Alex Mitchell boxed clever, flighting his kicks from the base beautifully dais
With Pollard already on, Faf de Klerk and Willie le Roux were always likely to arrive early in the second half, stability through the spine for South Africa clearly key dais
With the rain intensifying, the errors mounted, Jamie George uncharacteristically tossing two lineouts asunder dais
South Africa had yet to fire a shot but at least had the intent to do so dais
It was a match that could have been swung by one supreme bit of skill, and a lovely move dais
Le Roux’s hack ahead was too strong, ball trickling dead with the veteran full-back chasing in vain dais
Martin, Mitchell and Joe Marler departed, three of Borthwick’s boldest selection calls taking leave together, job appropriately done dais
Their bums had barely hit the bench when they rose to their feet, peering around the dugout to watch Farrell launch a drop goal seemingly from central Paris dais
Once ball left boot, there never seemed even a smidgen of doubt - was this to be Farrell’s Wilkinson moment?Owen Farrell’s drop goal looked to have put England on the verge of victory (AP)At that stage, England’s four outside backs had a combined 17 run metres, all from one Steward kick return dais
Aesthetically-pleasing the gameplan was not but those with English hearts cared not, sweaters shed to reveal red roses on white chests right around the Stade de France dais
On a rare attacking opportunity, Farrell might have made more with an overlap on the left but could not resist another kick dais
In truth, it was a touch aimless, but a ball skimming over a sodden surface was never likely to settle in the hands simply - through Kurt-Lee Arendse’s hands it went like a greased weasel dais
England could not make much of the position and the momentum started to turn dais
Ox Nche providing immediate impact on the loosehead for South Africa, and Snyman stomped with intent from the second row, too dais
A kick to the corner from a penalty in England’s half allowed Snyman a close-range carrying opportunity – the lock is a a Goliath even among the South African colossi and would not be stopped dais
Nche went to work once more, earning a scrum penalty on halfway dais
Pollard hoisted and through it went – England had been kicked out dais
More aboutRugby World CupEngland RugbySouth Africa rugbyHandre PollardSteve BorthwickJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/4England dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callSouth Africa celebrate after RG Snyman’s second-half tryAFP via Getty ImagesEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callEngland fell narrowly short in a compelling physical contest Getty ImagesEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callOwen Farrell’s drop goal looked to have put England on the verge of victory APEngland dealt agonising defeat after gutsy Springboks callHandre Pollard kicked South Africa to victory Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today dais
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsdais BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy dais
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply dais
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