South Africa 15-6 England

South Africa proved that they could play the pragmatic card as they ground their way to a second World Cup triumph on Saturday with a 15-6 win over England.

Just as in their first on home soil in 1995 they failed to cross the tryline but, as in that victory over a richly talented New Zealand side, they showed a relentless commitment to the basics, an absolute belief in what they were doing and the will to carry it out.

England, just as they did in their losing 1991 final against Australia, tried to get their backs into the game more than at just about any time in the tournament, but there was just not enough speed or penetration to turn their long spells of possession into threatening attacks.

If Australian TV official Stuart Dickinson had ruled in favour of Mark Cueto when he touched down in the 42nd minute, instead of disallowing the score for a foot in touch, maybe things would have turned out differently for the defending champions.

England would have led 10-9 if the try had been given and converted. But that was a rare moment of Mathew Tait-inspired incisiveness from England and the Springboks were rarely in danger before or after that.

Their lineout was supreme, with man of the match Victor Matfield delivering a command performance, while their aggression at the breakdown and refusal to give an inch at the scrum forced England to look for ever-more desperate solutions.

And all the while Percy Montgomery, with a little help from Francois Steyn, was clipping over his penalties. Scores after seven, 15 and 39 minutes gave the Springboks a 9-3 halftime lead, while further penalties after 50 and 62 knocked the wind out of England's attempted comeback.

After the high-paced flamboyance of Friday's third-place playoff, the final was relatively dull fare and New Zealand and Australia, watching blurry eyed from the other side of the world, will still be wondering just how on earth they were not still a part of it all.

South Africa, though, will not care a jot. Winger Bryan Habana, who came into the match needing one try to overtake Jonah Lomu as the top scorer in a tournament, instead proved how solid a defender he was.

Number eight Danie Rossouw, written off pre-tournament as a poor replacement for Pierre Spies, who was ruled out with a blood clot on the lung, will go home a hero after his tackle on Cueto did just enough to force the winger's leg into touch in the key moment early in the second half.

After that England found themselves battering a green wall, just as they had presented a white one to Australia and France in the previous rounds.

South Africa realised that they had to do little more than hold their lines, kick deep, and defend, and they did it expertly.

For the neutral it was a disappointing finale to what has been a wonderful tournament but as captain John Smit hoisted the trophy in front of his green-clad team mates, not too many seemed to be complaining.