South Africa fought back to beat New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town on August 29, drawing the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1.
The Springboks played much better in the first half of the game and were leading 24-14 before managing to defend their lead in the second half. The excellent kicking of Cheslin Kolbe was key to the win, while the captain, Siya Kolisi, got his first try of the comeback after recovering from his injury.
The win rekindled the battle between the coaches of the teams as well – the Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus reacted strongly to criticism from All Blacks coach Dave Rennie about South Africa scrum tactics.
South Africa Recover in Cape Town
South Africa came to the second test under pressure after losing 33-16 to New Zealand in the opening test at Ellis Park.
The Springboks wasted no time responding in Cape Town as Jesse Kriel went over early on, followed by two more tries from Damian de Allende and Kolisi.
South Africa had a comfortable lead of 24-14 in the halftime scoreline and appeared ready to run away with the win against the All Blacks.
New Zealand, though, proved resilient after the interval as tries from Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter and Ardie Savea helped the All Blacks score four tries compared to three by South Africa.
Despite the offensive threat by the All Blacks, South Africa came through with a narrow seven-point win.
Cheslin Kolbe’s Boot Secures Win for South Africa
Although New Zealand managed to score more tries, it was South Africa’s boot that settled the match in favor of the hosts.
Cheslin Kolbe was clinical with his kicks in the game, scoring with all three tries and adding another four penalty points in the process.
Kolbe’s 18-point performance gave South Africa the cushion to weather New Zealand’s challenge.
Return of Captain Siya Kolisi in Try Form
The comeback of captain Siya Kolisi was yet another big boost for the Springboks.
Kolisi scored the Springboks third try just before the halftime mark and helped his team build a 10-point cushion going into halftime.
His performance also came at a crucial time for the South Africans, who are trying to bounce back after losing in the first test match.
The win by the Springboks brought an end to the unbeaten streak of the All Blacks on their South African tour.
Rassie Erasmus Responds to Dave Rennie
There was another controversy in this encounter between the two teams.
Coach of the All Blacks Dave Rennie criticized the scrummaging tactics used by the Springboks, saying that South Africa was illegally “walking around” during scrums in order to get some benefit.
Rassie Erasmus refuted this claim from Rennie and called his statement “nonsense”.
South African coach pointed out that there have been some scrum collapses for New Zealand too and said that it is completely unjustified to bring up the tactics of South Africa.
Erasmus Surprises with Late Front-Row Swap
Erasmus also caught New Zealand off guard before the game by swapping his entire starting front row roughly an hour before the match began.
The decision was made following reports that the weather conditions in Cape Town were drier than initially anticipated.
Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit were included in the starting lineup, which was just one piece of the plan by Erasmus to counter New Zealand.
The changes ultimately proved to help South Africa make the physical impact that the team needed after the first Test.
New Zealand’s Comeback Falls Short
The All Blacks would not go away after falling behind by 10 points at the halftime whistle.
Both Leroy Carter and Ardie Savea scored for New Zealand in the second half, with Savea’s try coming in the 76th minute to bring New Zealand to within seven points.
South Africa, however, handled the closing minutes effectively.
The Springboks were reduced to 14 men late in the game after Lood de Jager received a yellow card, but New Zealand failed to score the points necessary for their comeback.
The series is now tied 1-1 through four Tests.
Catch the stories shaping African football and beyond.
Is Chawinga Malawi’s New Football Star?
Check out how Chawinga emerged as Malawi’s standout WAFCON talent.
Which Teams Still Chase WAFCON Glory?
Find out which teams remain in contention for the 2026 WAFCON trophy.
Could Rwanda Host Italy’s Migrant Arrivals?
Uncover what Rwanda and Italy are discussing about irregular migrants.
Where Are Commonwealth Athletes Now Missing?
Track down the latest developments in the Police Scotland investigation.
How Did Oshoala Revive Nigeria’s Campaign?
Reveal how Oshoala helped Nigeria return to WAFCON and World Cup qualification.
