Heartbreak as Wales' Rugby World Cup dream ended by narrow South Africa loss
Wales have missed out on a place in the Rugby World Cup final after losing to South Africa in Yokohama 19-16.
The Springboks will face England in next Saturday's final following fly-half Handre Pollard's match-winning penalty four minutes from time.
Pollard kicked 14 points and centre Pollard kicked 14 points and centre Damian de Allende scored a try, with their opponents replying through wing Josh Adams' Wales record-equalling sixth try in one World Cup, three Dan Biggar penalties and a Leigh Halfpenny conversion.
For Wales, who were semi-final casualties against France eight years ago when captain Sam Warburton was sent off, it proved an agonising experience.
Full-back Leigh Halfpenny was among three changes made by Wales boss Warren Gatland for the World Cup semi-final against South Africa in Yokohama.
Halfpenny replaced ankle-injury victim Liam Williams, while number eight Ross Moriarty took over from Josh Navidi, who was also sidelined by ankle trouble, and fit-again centre Jonathan Davies returned for Owen Watkin.
South Africa were without injured wing Cheslin Kolbe, so S'bu Nikosi deputised, with England awaiting the winners in next Saturday's final.
Springboks scrum-half Faf de Klerk made an immediate contribution through a kick and chase into Wales' 22, but George North cleared the danger and Wales moved confidently up field.
Both teams readily resorted to tactical kicking, but Wales looked to have a more creative spark about them, with scrum-half Gareth Davies prominent as he marked reaching 50 caps.
The opening 10 minutes, though, were a considerable notch down in terms of pace and intensity on England's semi-final against New Zealand.
South Africa looked to attack off first-phase ball as De Klerk pulled the strings, and his half-back partner Handre Pollard kicked the Springboks ahead through a 15th-minute penalty.
But that score was cancelled out three minutes later when Dan Biggar found the target with a wide-angled penalty.
Wales, though, then conceded a scrum penalty in a game dominated by set-pieces, and Pollard stepped up to make it 6-3.
The next score in a contest dominated by set-pieces came from the boot of Pollard in the 35th minute.
Wales' concerns were not helped in the closing stages of the half by injury.
Tomas Francis appeared to be struggling with a shoulder issue, then winger George North's action was ended by an apparent pulled hamstring. Owen Watkin replaced him.
Biggar kept Warren Gatland's team in touch by kicking another penalty, concluding the first-half scoring.
Biggar gave Wales just the start they needed to the second period, kicking them level with a third penalty.
It was tight and tense with errors abounding on both sides, yet Wales had hauled themselves back into the contest.
With the stakes so high, there appeared little chance of the game opening up, and it was 9-9 with 30 minutes left.
South Africa claimed the game's opening try after 57 minutes when outstanding centre Damian De Allende ran powerfully to breach Wales' defence.
Wales will feel that they should have stopped him, but De Allende's strength proved too much, and Pollard's successful conversion made it 16-9.
Wales looked to hit back immediately, driving a short-range lineout and then being camped deep inside South African territory, before sacrificing a kickable penalty for an attacking scrum.
Wales' sustained forward assault was rewarded with a five-metre scrum and although that crumbled, they pounced with quick hands sending Josh Adams over for his sixth try of the World Cup.
In Biggar's absence, Halfpenny took over the kicking duties and he landed the near touchline conversion to level the score at 16-16.
Wales were in the ascendency but by conceding two penalties in quick succession they surrendered their hard-earned yards and to run salt into the wound Pollard sent the second between the uprights.
A late surge from South Africa spelt the end for Gatland's men, who fell 19-16 in a dour semi-final.
Warren Gatland told ITV: "I'm proud of our guys. Congratulations to South Africa, I thought they played really well up front."
"We punch massively above our weight when you consider the playing size of numbers in Wales so I'm really proud to these guys."
The Duke of Cambridge described the Welsh performance as 'heroic'.