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And so it is.

Heartbreak for England. But more box office stuff on the biggest stage from champions South Africa.

If you missed the action catch up on the match report here.

And join us next weekend as England play Argentina in the game nobody ever wants to play, before South Africa take on the All Blacks.

£50 on them to win by one point? Au revoir!

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John: Champion teams always find a way to win. Big game players make big time plays in big games. Pollard is a Big Game Player.

Andy: It's the hope that kills you - South Africa were appalling. On that performance they'll get mullered by New Zealand next weekend!

Jamie: That was unbelievably close. Rugby can be brutal, but I really hope we get third place next week.

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South African head coach Jacques Nienaber, speaking after the game: "First I want to start with credit to England, I thought they were outstanding on the night.

"They had us under a lot pressure and it took something special to unlock their defence to get a try to get us back in the game."

On the substitutes: "We needed some energy, that is why we decided to bring the bench on. We are fortunate that there is not a lot of difference between the guys who start and the guys on the bench.

"We needed energy and they brought that."

On the key moments: "Like at the previous World Cup, it takes something special to unlock it. It's always going to be tight, those two moments [scrum penalty and penalty kick] were the telling moments."

On the final: "It's going to be a final, it's going to be tight. New Zealand are in excellent form, if you look at their last few games if you're not going to get close to 30-35 points you won't be in the mix."

BBC Radio 5 Live

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England full-back Freddie Steward on BBC Radio 5 Live: "A lot of raw emotions at the minute and to go that close against such a great outfit and to not get there in the end is a tough one to take - sport is cruel sometimes.

"You have to credit South Africa, they fought till the end and made us pay for a few mistakes. But I am so proud of the effort that the boys gave tonight - the coaching staff, they made us believe.

"They put the plan together and we were so close, but did not get there unfortunately."

On opportunities during the game: "I think we will look back on that second half, if we had a bit more set-piece dominance and fewer errors but hindsight is a wonderful thing. The boys gave everything and we just came up short."

On returning to the squad: "I am as pleased as you can be, it is irrelevant and I would rather play a terrible game and us win at the end.

"Steve Borthwick made it clear. It is a squad of 33 and it is a 33-man effort, even the lads not in the squad tonight gave everything to help us and it is just unfortunate that it has ended this way."

On changes within the squad after the World Cup: "I think that on the back of a pretty poor performance in the summer Tests we had a lot of criticism. Even tonight we were written off.

"But when the pressure is on we fought all the way till the end. Some guys will be moving on and some guys will be staying and we just have to get better."

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BBC Radio 5 Live

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Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, England head coach Steve Borthwick said: "In any game like this you have to credit the opposition, who found a way to win at the end. South Africa are current world champions and world number ones for a reason. We thought we were going to win tonight and we came here believing we would win. The players deserve enormous credit for that. I think the tens of thousands of England fans watching here tonight and the millions watching at home will be very proud of their team.

"We have a very smart group of players that are learning very quickly because we have had to do it very quickly. The opposition have had four years and we have had four months. That is why the players deserve enormous credit. I asked the players to approach the training differently and they have embraced that.

"In that 23, we have seven players aged 25 or younger. That is the most of any of the semi-finalists so we have a great blend of experience and young players. We are disappointed but immensely proud of these guys and we'll build going forward.

"I care an awful lot about these players so I'm really gutted for them and their families but I'm proud of them. I really care deeply about English rugby and our supporters. There have been some tough times and we have work to do but you will see just how much those players care about representing their country."

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If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same...

You're a better man than me.

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South African captain Siya Kolisi, speaking after the game: "It's honestly all the hard work we have put in which came off. It was really ugly but that is what champions are made of.

"Credit to England, they have worked hard. They were written off before the World Cup. England's coach Steve Borthwick and Owen [Farrell] and the team pulled themselves together and showed who they are.

"They are not a team you take lightly, all credit to them for being in the semi-final. To my team as well it was ugly today like it was last week but we found a way to fight back and get back into the game.

"Well done to the boys. I am really proud of the fight that was showed, especially the guys who came off the bench once again."

On the key moments: "England did so well in the kicking game, they outplayed us in that. Our discipline was awful in the first half, especially in the key areas where they could take the points.

"But I thought we fought back in the second half, we showed who we are and what we can do with a full 23."

On the final: "It's going to be as big as it was tonight. The All Blacks played really well last night but we want to thank the South African supporters who came all the way here to support us and the ones back at home as well.

"Next week is going to be hard, it's going to be special but may they stay with us and hopefully we can defend it."

True to form of it being a game nobody wants to play in, I had forgotten all about the third/fourth place play-off.

England will play Argentina now next Friday night.

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England captain Owen Farrell on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I am unbelievably proud of this group and what they have done over this past few months together.

"It has not all gone our way as everybody knows, we have had everything thrown at us - it has been a rollercoaster.

"I'm glad where we have built to, but gutted we don't have a crack at the big one next week. I am massively proud of this group and I hope everyone back home is as well.

"We came up with a plan during the week and the weather conditions played a part in it as well. We started the game really well, we shocked them at times and they made a few changes to change what they were doing.

"But credit to them fighting their way back into it and finding a way to win at the end."

On playing for England: "I am massively proud of how we have built, the support has built over the World Cup and that performance shows how proud we are to be English and to wear this shirt.

"I think we have made a start of going forward and there is a lot to come from this group."

England kicked the ball 976 metres in that semi-final - six Blackpool Towers, if you prefer.

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Reality bites and it bites quick.

England played an amazing game of rugby and were totally in control. South Africa were disorganised and low in energy and couldn’t find anything.

They scrape it and get ahead and suddenly South Africa have all the energy to defend and as soon as the whistle goes it is all over.

The next 24, 36, 48 hours will just be pain for England. There were so few errors and it will be hard to process how they were on the losing side. They weren’t authors of their own downfall but South Africa find something when they needed it. It’s a shame for England but it has to be a launchpad.

It's worth remembering that Handre Pollard missed out on selection for the original 33-man South Africa squad after picking up a calf injury in May.

He was called up after being on standby for the Springboks after Malcolm Marx was ruled out of the tournament when he suffered a knee injury in training.

And kicked them to two single point wins in back-to-back weeks.

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Springbok fly-half Handre Pollard speaking after the game: "It's unbelievable, it's a lot of relief in this moment. Frustrated we weren't at our best tonight, especially in that first-half.

"We knew we had so much more to give but fair play to England, I think they put us under pressure in exactly the right areas.

"But jeez the fight we showed, never giving up, it is what we stand for as a team and as a nation."

On coming on early: "We stuck to our plan we just had to execute a bit better here and there. We took it play-by-play, minute-by-minute, you can't look too far into the future in these kind of games.

"It took us a long time but we got it done."

On the winning penalty kick: "Firstly the scrum penalty, that is what got us the opportunity. It was just a credit to them, they were unbelievable.

"It was a big moment but it is what you want as a player on this stage, to have moments like that as a fly-half is what you live for. It was fun."

Matt Dawson
Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

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All sports people lose games they should have won, but to do it on the World stage in the semi-finals - England will be inconsolable for a long time.

England have given everything, South Africa had no idea what they were doing until they just caught a tiny bit of a spark in that scrummage and it gave them some momentum.

How many of those England players will get another shot at it in Australia in four years' time?

Joe Marler is 33, Jamie George is 33, Dan Cole is 36, Courtney Lawes is 34, Owen Farrell is 32, Manu Tuilagi is 32, Jonny May 33...

Bobby Skinstad
Former South Africa captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

The scrum was everything. South Africa clawed their way back, they got back to their feet gently and close to a 50-yard penalty from Handre Pollard - a match-winning penalty. Who has done this before!

Hats off to England today, but part of what we watch in this game of rugby is that winners find ways to win. South Africa found a chink in the armour and exploited it.

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England, World Cups, and penalties. Brutal stuff.

It's also a sickening double against South Africa in the same day after a battering in the cricket earlier on...

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Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

Amazing from England.

There was only one way to play tonight with the forecast. They delivered their game plan. It was basic but brilliant.

Their attention to detail was magnificent. The only exclamation point was that the South Africa scrum could be the difference towards the end and that is what proved to be.

Matt Dawson
Former England scrum-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

It was sharp today from England, talk about fine margins and opportunities.

One opportunity from South Africa and they have taken the spoils, they should be applauded for it.

England were magnificent today, but they will be gutted. I'm very proud to call that game and watch England put that performance in.

South Africa get another week in Paris, and get a guard of honour off the pitch from England in what you are contractually obliged to call 'a classy touch.'

Warriors. Nobody from an England pov will want to think about it but South Africa v New Zealand will be some final...