When nations collide expect fireworks.

When those nations are the British Lions and South Africa then you can add blood and thunder to the equation.

Last night there were heaped doses of all three as the Springboks secured a berth in the Millennium Rugby Classic final with a 12-8 victory.

The Lions drew first blood -- Derek McAleese slotting over a penalty within the first three minutes.

But the lead was not to last long.

On one of their opening forays into the British half, the Boks surged down the left hand touchline and fullback Johan Kapp went over in the corner.

Hennie Le Roux's conversion attempt fell short and the score stood at 5-3 to the South Africans.

That lead increased to 10-3 when Richard Brittan forced the ball over the line despite the desperate attempts of the Lions' defence.

Le Roux's conversion was good, adding a further two points to the tally.

The South Africans were rucking quickly and spreading the ball out wide to where their quick men lay in wait and the Lions were having problems counter-acting the strategy.

They suffered a blow early in the second-half when towering lock, Wade Dooley, was forced out of the match with a badly gashed eye.

In what was a full-bloodied encounter anyway, South African prop Riedoh Allen overstepped the mark and was sent to the sin-bin.

This enabled the Lions to take advantage of the extra man and score their first try.

Under pressure a South African clearance went horribly wrong, landing straight at the hands of Roger Bidgood who took the gift with glee.

The conversion was missed but the Lions were back in the match and only a try away from a possible victory.

Garth Wright and then Ronnie Korkee were sin-binned for the Springboks -- the latter for a dreadfully late tackle.

From here on in it was all Lions pressure, but try as they might they could not make the advantage pay and the Springboks defensive line held firm to earn a place in the final against Argentina.

South Africa player manager Carel Du Plessis said afterwards: "It was a tough game -- we expected it to be so. When you come to Bermuda the idea is always to try and get to the final and then on the day it's anybody's game.'' Dooley, sporting fresh stitches, said it had been a full-on encounter.

"That's the way the Classic is going. It's very intense. It's cut and thrust stuff -- no quarter given,'' he said.

" The South Africans defended very, very well in the second-half and you have to be proud of the boys -- they pressed and pressed and pressed. They did everything to try and break the South African's defence but all credit to the Greens they played exceptionally well.'' Earlier on the Canadians secured their place in the Plate final against the Iberians, seeing off the USA 40-5.

Canada's Spencer Robinson was the hero, notching four of his side's eight tries. The USA score was as the result of a penalty try awarded by the referee for persistent infringements.