The Springboks beat the All Blacks for a second consecutive time in the 2024 Castle Lager Rugby Championship, edging their fierce rivals by 18-12 (half-time 3-9) in a pulsating Test that kept the sell-out crowd at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on the edge of their seats until the last play on a chilly Saturday evening.
It was also the Boks’ fourth win in a row over the Kiwis, the first time they achieved this in the professional era, and as a result, they won back the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009.
The Boks outscored New Zealand by two tries to zero, clear proof of their eventual dominance, but they will be the first to admit that it was not the way they planned to execute the game plan. Like at Emirates Airline Park last weekend, the All Blacks led at the break, this time 9-3, but they could not maintain that, while a second yellow card by the visitors late in the game cost them dearly.
Although both teams made a number of personnel changes from last week, the first half also delivered a lot of the same outcomes seen in Johannesburg.
The All Blacks started best, attacking ball in hand and looking dangerous, but going nowhere slowly due to some strong defence by the home side, spurred on by a sold-out crowd.
The Boks’ lineout woes continued with two lost in attacking positions and while they started strongest in the scrum, the men in black earned parity as the half progressed. On top of that, neither South Africa’s tactical kicking nor their discipline were great.
Jasper Wiese, who earlier won a crucial turnover near his line, got pinged 13 minutes in for slowing the ball down and McKenzie kicked his first penalty goal to put his team ahead.
Wiese was shown a yellow card for his indiscretion, but from the restart, the numbers stacked up again as Sevu Reece was yellow-carded for playing Willie le Roux in the air after a high kick. The Boks kicked to the line and although they won the ball, they conceded a penalty at the very next breakdown.
Meanwhile, NZ hooker Codie Taylor left the field for a HIA and his replacement, Asafo Aumua missed his target in his first lineout throw of the match. Cheslin Kolbe almost got away from the defence as a result, but was just caught in time and New Zealand could again surface for air.
The Springboks kept the pressure up and came within a metre of the All Black tryline, but were penalised for holding on and the opportunity was lost.
Both Taylor and Reece returned without the scoreboard triggered and 27 minutes in, McKenzie kicked a second penalty goal for his team after yet another SA infringement on the ground.
Neither team were scared to run the ball, but the match quickly turned into a search for territorial dominance, with both sides refusing to play in their own half.
Handre Pollard got the Boks on the board after half an hour in with a long-range penalty goal, conceded by Ardie Savea who did not release a tackled player, but McKenzie kicked a third on the buzzer to again extend the lead to six points.
The second half started with as much drama as the first. McKenzie almost added three more at the start of the second half, but his 50m effort just fell short and the Boks could clear.
A good attack by the Springboks forced New Zealand to try and slow the ball down, the Boks opted for a lineout drive and Malcolm Marx, who just replaced Bongi Mbonambi, got close, but still no cigar for the hosts. From the resulting maul however, Eben Etzebeth forced himself over the line, but the TMO ruled out the try. – www.saru.co.za
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