Springboks scrape into World Cup semi-finals with thrilling win over Wales

Captain Fourie du Preez's try five minutes from time has sent the Springboks past Wales 23-19 in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final at Twickenham this morning.

Wales led 19-18 when scrum-half du Preez, cajoled out of Test retirement by coach Heyneke Meyer, burst down the blindside off a back of a close-range scrum after a superb pass from No 8 Duane Vermeulen.

Fly-half Handre Pollard scored all of two-time world champions South Africa's other points in the classic battle.

"It was a tough game, they came hard at us," Du Preez said after.

"We just said to ourselves 'keep pushing, keep pushing'. At one stage I saw some of the guys lying down and I told the guys 'look we have to go and fight now' and the guys produced."

Du Preez's score gave South Africa a four-point lead and that meant Wales, with goal-kicking fly-half Dan Biggar off the field for a head injury assessment, needed a try to regain the lead in a brutal and see-saw contest.

Biggar had a fine match, kicking 14 points and setting up Gareth Davies for Wales' only try.

South Africa now plays the winner of today's other quarter-final between New Zealand and France.