The Latest: South Africa grinds to 6-3 lead v Wales in semis

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The Latest on Sunday at the Rugby World Cup (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

South Africa leads Wales 9-6 after an attritional first half of a Rugby World Cup semifinal that was contested with high kicks and a constant tussle for territory between set-pieces.

Springboks flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked penalty goals in the 15th, 20th and 35th minutes and Dan Biggar responded for Wales with a shot from near the left touchline in the 18th and another goal a minute before the break.

Both teams play a direct style, with two-time champion South Africa priding itself on the set-piece. Both teams struggled on a damp surface for cohesive attack when the ball did go through the hands in a grinding opening 40 minutes.

The injury-plagued Welsh squad had more damage to contend with as prop Tomas Francis left the field with a shoulder injury and veteran winger George North limped off with a right hamstring problem just before the interval.

The winner will return next Saturday for a final against England. The loser will play New Zealand for bronze.

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6:05 p.m.

South Africa has kicked off in the semifinal against Wales to see which team advances to a Rugby World Cup final against England.

Players from both teams sang their anthems proudly and loudly in a packed International Stadium at Yokohama.

Wales has never won a semifinal at the World Cup. South Africa has won two titles.

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2 p.m.

England has called up Ben Spencer to its World Cup squad as injury cover for fellow scrumhalf Willi Heinz.

Heinz hurt his hamstring in the semifinal win over New Zealand on Saturday. England says he will remain with the squad until the end of the tournament.

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1:55 p.m.

Wales and South Africa meet in Sunday’s semifinal at the Rugby World Cup for the right to face England in the championship match.

If the Welsh get through to their first final, it will be the first time that two northern hemisphere teams face off for the title.

The Springboks have reached two finals before — in 1995 and 2007 — and went on to win the cup on both occasions. In ’07, they beat England in Paris.

It is not expected to be a running rugby classic, with both teams preferring to play a low-risk style and rely on forward power. It is an approach that has served both teams well — they have lost just one competitive game between them this calendar year.

England reached the final by beating New Zealand 19-7 on Saturday, ending the All Blacks’ ambitions of winning the World Cup for an unprecedented third straight time.

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