This World Cup has been wonderful, and it has also been cruel. Wales are the first World Cup quarter-finalists to be knocked out, their lead snatched from them with five minutes of the game remaining, their courageous defensive wall finally breached, but their heart and effort were stupendous.
So South Africa progress and they will take to the semi-final a game that is so straightforward, so physical, so based on relentless bashing and intensity. As the hour mark passed here, you started to wonder whether this would not be enough but the brave Welsh could not quite hold out.
The Wales defence, led by Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones, had been massive. Dan Biggar orchestrated the team brilliantly. This was a stirring performance of the spirit, but Wales should have scored another try in the opening minutes when they ignored an overlap. They will not be reviewing that for quite some time.
The moment that broke Welsh hearts was an error so rare that it stuck out like a beacon. A South Africa scrum, ten metres out, wheeled and Duane Vermeulen peeled off the back down the blind side. Lloyd Williams, the scrum half, went for the tackle but the error was Alex Cuthbert’s for coming in for the tackle, too. Vermeulen managed to take the double contact and offload to Fourie du Preez, who had an unmarked run to the corner.
That gave South Africa a four-point lead and though Wales tried valiantly for a last-gasp try, they fell short. Their physical effort had been extraordinary. The Springboks’ defence were not letting tired bodies breach their line.
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The possession and the territory had belonged, here, to the Springboks. They were allowed to walk into an early lead in the first half with four Welsh penalty offences gifting Handre Pollard 12 points.
Biggar got one back but did far better by creating the Wales try for Gareth Davies. The scrum half’s score was a moment of brilliance, and it was Biggar’s vision that created it. The up-and-under kick was used by both teams but, in the 18th minute, Biggar spotted space for a far more effective use of the tactic. The ball went up and Biggar charged after it, claiming it in space where there was no Springbok to compete. Biggar took the ball up to ten metres out, took the contact and delivered the pass at the same time and Davies, sniping perfectly, was on hand to finish it off.
With a dropped goal on the stroke of half-time, Biggar sent Wales in with a 13-12 lead. After an exchange of penalty goals, Wales led 19-18 going into the last 15 minutes.
That was when this extraordinary drama reached its climax: Wales hanging on by their fingertips until Du Preez finally cut them loose.
Scorers: South Africa: Try: Du Preez (76min). Penalty goals: Pollard (9, 13, 17, 21, 62). Conversion: Pollard. Dropped goal: Pollard (52). Wales: Try: (G Davies (18). Penalty goals: Biggar (15, 64). Conversion: Biggar (19). Dropped goal: Biggar (40).
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Scoring sequence (South Africa first): 3-0, 6-0, 6-3, 9-3, 9-8, 9-10, 12-10, 12-13, 12-16, 15-16, 18-16, 18-19, 23-19.
South Africa: W Le Roux; JP Pietersen, J Kriel (rep: J Serfontein, 68), D de Allende, B Habana; H Pollard (rep: P Lambie, 76), F du Preez; T Mtawarira (rep: T Nyakane, 57), B du Plessis (rep: A Strauss 13-23, 56), F Malherbe (rep: J du Plessis, 62), E Etzebeth, L de Jager, F Louw (rep: W Alberts, 68), S Burger, D Vermeulen.
Wales: G Anscombe; A Cuthbert, T Morgan (rep: J Hook, 68), J Roberts, G North; D Biggar (rep: R Priestland, 74), G Davies (rep: L Williams, 72); G Jenkins (rep: P James, 56), S Baldwin (rep: K Owens, 57), S Lee (rep: T Francis, 56), L Charteris (rep: B Davies, 64), AW Jones, D Lydiate (rep: J Tipuric, 68), S Warburton, T Faletau.
Referee: W Barnes (England).