Two sparks of brilliance see NZ top SA

YOKOHAMA, September 21

Four minutes of first-half brilliance led an otherwise unconvincing New Zealand to a 23-13 victory over South Africa in a clash between two World Cup favourites today that never quite lived up to its billing.

Having wrestled the Rugby Championship from their rivals last month, South Africa pinned a scrappy New Zealand back for 20 minutes but, with only three points to show for it, the Springboks were left stunned by two scintillating team tries from wing George Bridge and lock Scott Barrett.

A Pieter Steph du Toit try, moments after a stunning Cheslin Kolbe break, got South Africa right back in the match after halftime. Handre Pollard cut the deficit to four points with a drop goal but penalties from Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett consigned South Africa to their first defeat of 2019.

The All Blacks, who have an 11-day break before their next game against Canada, should go on to top Pool B and hope for an easier quarterfinal as a result. South Africa next face Namibia in Toyota City.

"It was the full 80 minutes and right to the end of the test match we had to work (hard)," New Zealand captain Kieran Read said.

"Good fortune sometimes happens and in those two moments we managed to take them and that made the difference in the game." 

France top Argentina

Tokyo: Camille Lopez sent a drop goal looping just over the crossbar 10 minutes from time to give France a 23-21 victory over Argentina in a thrilling climax to a Rugby World Cup Pool C clash at Tokyo Stadium today. 

The three-time World Cup finalists looked set to romp to victory when they took a 20-3 halftime lead but the Pumas stormed back with two second-half tries and briefly took a one-point lead with 11 minutes to go.  

Lopez, seconds after coming on as a replacement flyhalf for Romain Ntamack, erased it almost immediately with his left-footed drop kick but Argentina still had a chance to match their stunning 2007 upset of the then-World Cup hosts. — Reuters