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Key events
54 min: After Aumua’s charge, Roigard sniped and almost went through inside SA’s half. NZ keep the ball alive. Good hands. Aumua again – wow he’s everywhere. Bower with a run.
But Kolbe makes an intercept on the right wing! He’s away but runs out of room before he kicks ahead. It stays in play and he runs after it but Carter cleans up running back. The clearing kick doesn’t go fart and the Boks have a line-out between halfway andf NZ’s 22.
Penalty! South Africa 30-14 New Zealand (Kolbe, 52)
Kolbe can’t miss! No seriously. He’s not missed a kick all series. Another superb swing of his right boot opens the lead a little more.
50 min: Marx comes up with a great steal within range of NZ’s sticks! What a player he is. A high kick put the ball back in NZ’s patch and was knocked back by a black hand. But Marx was on it, gobbling up the intercept. But SA couldn’t keep the ball after Etzebeth ran hard off a short pass from Reinach. Jordan tried to counter. Aumua made ground but then Marx stooped low to make the steal.
Penalty! South Africa 27-14 New Zealand (Kolbe, 49)
Kolbe can’t miss. This started to the right of the poles and was drawn back in from about 40 metres away. Great hoof and the lead is now 13.
48 min: Another penalty for the Boks. It started with SA winning their line-out and then Esterhuizen running hard from his usual position of midfield. A kick saw possession change possession but a jumper was taken out. PS du Toit, now captain, points to the sticks.
46 min: Stupid from Jacobson. NZ had tghe ball but then the flanker comes rushing in and goes in at the side, taking out a Bok away from the ruck to give away a penalty and an easy exit for SA>
45 min: This scrum is taking an age. NZ put in a second shove and the whole things collapses. They move a little further infield to get some purcahse on fresh grass.
Another collapse! We still haven’t had the scrum.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the set piece but when this sort of thing happens I sympathise with those who want to de-power the scrum.
Finally Gardner gives NZ a free-kick against Nche so the ABs have an opportunity with ball in hand on SA’s 22.
44 min: Gardner is giving a proper lecture to both sets of front rows. Like a school teacher he says “no more games”. Stern stuff.
44 min: Taylor spills the ball in contact on SA’s 22. This was South Africa’s problem last week. SA will have to polish off their exit game with a scrum about 15 in from their right touch.
43 min: Kolisi is replaced by Esterhuizen, usually a centre but a pretty handy flanker.
He carries off the line-out and Reinach makes room for himself before finding touch with a clearing kick.
41 min: Willemse, who hobbled off at halftime, has been replaced by Libbok. Does this mean SFM moves to 15? Libbok’s first act is to mop up a loose ball in the backfield and find touch on halfway.
NZ win the line-out before Kolisi nails Savea. But NZ keep it where Carter on the left wing kicks ahead and finds touch inside SA’s 22. The Boks will have to find a clean exit off the line-out.
Second half
SA win another restart as Love gets us going again.
A few thoughts.
SA much more clinical. Their and handling and sharpness at the breakdown is much improved from last week.
NZ are just so clinical. From two line-outs on halfway they scored. Give them a sniff and they’ll cut you to shreds.
Hooker quietly having a great game on the left wing for SA. He’s taken three high catches. SA also dominating restarts.
NZ’s long kick tactic is winning them territory, but the Boks’ exit game is sharp. Willemse have a solid game at fullback and Kolbe a constant menace.
Really good from the Boks direct runners, especially the midfield pair.
I need to eat humble pie after writing off Kolisi.
Half-time: South Africa 24-New Zealand 14
The half comes to an end with a thumping hit from Marx that dislodges the ball.
New Zealand were building. Double digit phases on that play that looked like ending in something when Jordan wriggled through several tacklers and then Bower found Parker in space with a tip-on. The Bosk scrambled before Marx – who has been immense in this brief cameo – nailed a monster hit (not sure on who tbh).
Gardner calls time and an pulsating half is over.
TRY! South Africa 24-14 New Zealand (Kolisi, 38)
Welcome back skipper! Brutal from the Boks. The scrum was not dominant but the ball was clean. Reinach found PS du Toit who came within five. Then with another advantage they kept the ball moving until Kolisi hit a flat pass from Reinach, had to swivel to gather it as it was played slightly behind him, then twisted his body to crash over and dot down.
Kolbe reestablishes the 10 point lead with the nudge.
36 min: Gardner blows a scrum penalty against NZ. SA choose to go again.
This has a very short blind down the right. About 10 to the right touch and five short of the NZ line.
36 min: Penalty for SA right on NZ’s line after some stunning skills from SFM and Kolbe! That really was so good. Hooker won a high kick and SFM looked up and raked – almost like a football goalkeeper – a superb kick to the corner. Kolbe was onto it and kept it alive with some nifty footwork. Jordan cleaned up but held on under pressure so it’s a Bok penalty which will be a scrum.
Fourie is replaced by Marx just in time. Nche is on as well. They are going to try and shove the All Blacks over their own line here.
New Zealand are winning the kick battle. They have the wind but their approach – to go long where SA are going high and short – is paying dividends.
33 min: SA on the ball just inside NZ’s half. They’re keeping it tight before SFM goes to the air. It goes laterally but Kolbe wins the tap back that Kriel has to retreat to gather. SA still with it on halfway. Now Reinach hoists a high kick. It doesn’t go far but the kick from McKenzie does and now Willemse is back inside his 22. The return kick barely gets to halfway.
New Zealand rugby in a nutshell. They are like apex predators. You just can’t take your eyes off them. They really can score from anywhere and they take advantage of any sloppiness.
TRY! South Africa 17-14 New Zealand (McKenzie, 31)
In a blink the All Blacks respond! They are just so dangerous. From nothing. The Kolbe skewed kick allowed the ABs to line-out on halfway and after a Savea step and some slick passing, McKenzie is running over in the far corner with a dive. Coast to coast, just so clinical. The conversion narrows the gap to three.
30 min: Big territorial win for NZ as they get parity at the scrum inside their 22. Then Love launches a huge kick whoch Kolbe has ti field over his shoulder. The return kick is skewed so the ABs have the line-out on halfway.
27 min: The Boks are flying! Another offside penalty against NZ allows the Boks to give the ball air. They go from right to left where Kriel makes ground in the tram. He’s back inside for PS du Toit who gets over a tackler. They keep it alive with the forwards and now they’re five short. Kolisi is nailed and the ball is spilled but SFM cleans up. NZ push them back to the 22. Willemse tries to offload for PS du Toit. The ball is loose again but this time Kolbe cleans up. NZ wrap him up and the ref calls a maul. But his knee was on the floor. Is that play on? yes says Garnder so it’ll be a NZ scrum inside their 22. Good scramble defence from the Kiwis
25 min: The bounce of the ball is with the home side. SA steal the ball around halfway and then Reinach dinks a kick to the corner. It lands and takes a wicked bounce just short of the 22. Taylor can’t connect cleanly with the lifted Parker but NZ exit with a kick long to Kolbe who steps a man and then counters.
24 min: SA get out of jail! SFM’s clearing kick after Willemse won the restart is charged down by Barrett. The NZ midfielder runs after it but the bounce of the ball takes it beyond him before he can reach it.
SA will get a drop-out from their own line.
Last week the charge down was scored. Is that the luck the Boks need this week?
So much better from South Africa today.
This feels like vintage SA. Power from the forwards but also from the midfielders. Much more direct.
TRY! South Africa 17-7 New Zealand (de Allende, 23)
What strength from the centre! NZ choose not to contest at the line-out and the Boks maul. It makes ground before spluttering but the home side keep the ball as they shift it right. As the NZ defensive line fractures they come back to the left and de Allende takes on two tacklers and muscles through them before reaching out and dotting down.
They’re checking if SFM knocked on in the build up. Ooooh, almost. But it went backwards as he placed the ball after taking a hit. No problem. The try stands.
Kolbe continues his 100% run from the tee to open up a 10 point lead.
21 min: SA winning the restart contest. They secure the ball and then win it back after a clearing box kick. Etzebeth runs over McKenzie who had the misfortune of being caught in his gears. Then there’s a penalty for another offisde on halfway – Lomax again – so the Boks play with an advantage. Despite rampages from PS du Toit and de Allende they can’t make ground so SFM hoofs to touch and the Boks will line-out about seven short of the line in the left corner.
Penalty! South Africa 10-7 New Zealand (Kolbe, 19)
That’s a gimme and the Boks are back in front. Two visits to NZ’s 22, they have 10 points to show for it. Much better than last week (so far).
18 min: SA win the restart after Tupaea’s spill and are inside NZ’s 22. They keep it alive long enough to foce a NZ error. Lomax strays offside so it’ll be a SA penalty within range. Kolbe points to the sticks.
They’re looking at a possible shoulder hit from Savea on de Allende, but that looks OK to me.
TRY! South Africa 7-7 New Zealand (Roigard, 16)
Superb from New Zealand! My goodness, there is no side in this sport as clinical as these All Blacks. This time Taylor, on halfway, find his jumper at the line-out. From there they go down the line, from left to right until Jordan has it. He beats one then beats another, running around both Kriel and de Allende before he plays a pass inside for Roigard on support like all good scrumhalves. He has a simple run to the line from the 22. The conversion from in front levels things.
15 min: Taylor misses his jumper and T du Toit snaffles it and runs forward. He has no support though so when he places the ball after being tackled Jacobson stoops low and steals the ball. Willemse has a kick to deal with and he just about does. SFM hoofs another touch finder to halfway.
12 min: SA win the ball on their line! Rather than take the hit from NZ’s maul, they show bravery and lift Etzebeth who disrupts the ball and NZ knock on at the line-out. SA still have to exit from a scrum on their own line, which they do after de Allende runs into traffic before SFM hoofs clear about 10 metres short of halfway. Big moment for the home side.
11 min: From nothing, McKenzie explodes through as hole and he’s in space approaching SA’s 22. He gets his head up and nudges a kick to the corner where Jordan picks up off his feet. He’s nailed though five out from the corner by SFM. SA scramble to win the ball but Kriel loses his feet and gives away a penalty. NZ can’t take advantage so they line-out five out.
10 min: The ball comes out the back of the NZ scrum and away they go. Tupaea gets free and makes metres post contact. Barrett is involved. They go right then left before a kick ahead is fielded by Willemse. For the third time he skews the clearing kick. So NZ have the ball again off the line-out and remain inside SA’s half.
7 min: Through the ABs hands until Barrett rakes a low kick. Willemse collects in his own 22 but again scuffs the return which presents an opportunity for Jordan to counter. He makes ground down the left tram but NZ run out of room as Kriel tackles his man out of touch. Off the line-out, Reinach and Kolisi get in a tangle and the ball is spilled. So we’ll have a first scrum. NZ with the feed 20 metres inside SA’s half about 10 metres in from the left touch.
5 min: Barrett goes in search of space in the corner but Willemse makes a sound mark as the ball dipped over his shoulder. His kick, though, was scuffed. Not the first time that’s happened. Conditions aren’t helpful. The wind is swirling around. ABs with the throw inside SA’s patch. They win it and go down the line around halfway.
4 min: From the restart, Hooker grabbed Reinach’s box kick and kept a move alive. De Allende straightened and played a short pass inside for the onrushing Wiese who spilled in contact. Kolbe’s counter came to nothing and the All Blacks are on the ball for the first time after winning a line-out and taking advantage of a snipe from Roigard.
TRY! South Africa 7-0 New Zealand (Kriel, 2)
WHAT A START FOR THE BOKS! Emphatic! The maul made great ground before they got go forward with Wiese. Then Kolisi beat a tackler and came within two metres of the line. Reinach kept it thrumming and found Kriel with a pass to his left and the midfielder darted through a gap to dot down.
Kolbe converts from bang in front and the Boks have made an early statement.
1 min: Barrett’s return kick from kick-off is scuffed so Fourie – the oldest Springbok in history a month short of his 40th birthday – gets a throw to the line. He finds Etzebeth a the front and they maul.
Kick-off!
Ruben Love gives his mates some last minute words of encouragement before Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (SFM from now on) gets us under way!
Codie Taylor and his cauliflower ears and frowny face lead the haka.
The camera cuts to Kolisi who seems to be reciting something. Then we see Savea, his good mate, who sends back a death stare.
After the respectful silence of the crowd comes the jeers and fanatic response. Kapo a pango is a challenge and the Cape Town faithful have met it.
Anthems done.
Yoh! The stadium looks unreal. What a vibe. If you are a rugby fan there isn’t anywhere else you’d want to be.
Except here, reading this blog, of course.
The home fans are already chanting ole, ole, ole!
Might seem premature, but it’s a South African rugby thing. My hunch is that they are all incredibly nervous.
Anyway, time for the anthems.
Ardie Savea leads out the All Blacks. Siya Kolisi follows after the Impi warriors flex their muscles and shake their spears.
This Springboks’ back row of Kolisi, PS du Toit and Wiese is now tied for the most Test starts together for SA. They’re on 17.
Pieter-Steph du Toit walks out with his wife and children on the occasion of his 100th Test.
I got to chat with him back in 2021. He has quite the story:
Late changes to South Africa team
Another switcheroo from Erasmus!
He’s swapped his front rows.
Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit were supposed to start on the bench.
Instead they’ll run out as Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw will form part of the Bomb Squad.
And what about the Saffas?
Rassie Erasmus: “Most of the things we inflicted on ourselves, and that’s frustrating. Our plans didn’t work, and that’s on me.”
Cobus Reinach: “They put us under pressure and made us do things that led to my yellow card.”
Siya Kolisi: “We’re not only playing for each other, we are playing for the whole of South Africa.”
Thomas du Toit: “We try and stay within the laws of the game as much as we can and as much as we perceive it.” – on the allegations that the Boks’ scrum pushes the limits of the law.
Here’s what a few Kiwis had to say:
Ardie Savea: “We understand the threat. We understand the wounded beast. We understand that when you lose, everything is amplified.”
Dave Rennie: “It could be an absolute arm wrestle. We’re going to have to go deeper this week. We think if they’re forced to scrum square and not allowed to step sideways and walk around us, then we’ll be able to stay in front of that.”
Leroy Carter: “Just try to catch it, eh?” – on preparing for the Springbok high-ball assault.
SA Rugby has responded to a ticketing controversy that left supporters without entry to today’s Test.
A statement circulating online claimed that tickets bought through a travel agency had been double-sold after the purchasing process reverted to SA Rugby. The company subsequently apologised to customers who had paid for tickets but were unable to attend the match. That includes fans who have travelled from New Zealand.
SA Rugby disputes the account. The union says the agencies involved acted “illegally and recklessly” in pursuit of commercial gain and that their claims unfairly suggested the problem was caused by failures in SA Rugby’s ticketing operation.
The matter has been handed to SA Rugby’s attorneys, with the union seeking legal redress.
The episode is another warning to supporters buying tickets on the secondary market.
I know a couple who arrived at the World Cup final in 2023 – having travelled to Paris just for the game – only to find that their tickets didn’t work.
It really is horrible.
One thing to keep an eye out for today is the post-contact metres made.
Last week, Boks ball carriers made an extra 286 post-contact metres to New Zealand’s 191.
Generally, that points to dominance but on this occasion it only amplified the All Blacks’ tenacity as they scrambled on defence and the wastefulness of the home side as they failed to convert their chances.
I can’t see the same happening again if this stat is repeated.
Building off that, Boks lost 23 turnovers; New Zealand lost 13. Some of those from South Africa were knock-ons and spills, but many were the result of interventions by men in black. Jordie Barrett made five steals on his own! What a player he is by the way.
Was Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s recall a genuine late change or a classic piece of Rassie Erasmus misdirection?
Read Gerard Meagher’s preview:
New Zealand team
The All Blacks make three changes to the starting XV that won at Ellis Park last week, with all three players promoted from the bench.
After prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord banged heads in Johannesburg, there are changes in the pack.
George Bower, who helped stabalise the scrum in the second half last week, gets a start at loosehead prop while Tupou Vaa’i, who was excellent in the 6 jersey, shifts to the second row.
Simon Parker joins a settled back row alongside the impressive Luke Jacobson and captain Ardie Savea. Leroy Carter replaces Josh Moorby on the left wing.
Patrick Tuipulotu comes onto the bench, while Xavier Numia replaces Bower among the replacements.
Otherwise, the All Blacks retain the core of the side that did the business, including the half-back pairing of Cam Roigard and Ruben Love who are growing in confidence together.
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie; 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard; 1 George Bower, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Fabian Holland, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Simon Parker, 7 Luke Jacobson, 8 Ardie Savea (captain).
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Josh Moorby.
South Africa team
Pieter-Steph du Toit – in my opinion the greatest Springbok of all time – wins his 100th cap today.
That’s not the only milestone as Ox Nche plays for the 50th time at prop.
Siya Kolisi is back to skipper the side while Ethan Hooker replaces the injured Kurt-Lee Arendse to add more heft and height on the wing.
Cheslin Kolbe was delcared fit midweek to continue his role as the primary goal kicker and Cobus Reinach replaces Grant Williams at scrum-half.
Handre Pollard picked up a niggle in training so Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts at 10.
When he comes off the bench, Deon Fourie, the replacement hooker, will become the oldest Springbok at at 39 years and 338 days.
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse; 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Manie Libbok.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Has it only been a week since the first Test?
On Monday, 48 hours after his side failed to turn dominance into points in a humbling 16-33 loss to the All Blacks in Johannesburg, Rassie Erasmus named his team for the second dig.
On the starting line-up were were 16 players as he waited on the fitness of skipper Siya Kolisi, who has only played 24 minutes of Test rugby this year. The talisman was then given the all clear to share a field with another double World Cup winner, fly-half Handre Pollard.
Except the metronomic 10 with a laser scope in his right boot picked up a ‘niggle’ on Wednesday and was hooked from the side. So Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had a stinker at Ellis Park, was drafted back into the mix.
All the while New Zealand’s coach Dave Rennie questioned the legality of South Africa’s scrum tactics. Oh, Nika Amashukeli, who was supposed to referee the game, failed to recover from an illness and has been replaced by Angus Gardner. Oy vey!
As the fun and games unfolded, the discourse on social media – admittedly a toxic place at the best of times – grew ever more febrile. We’ve been told so many times that these two rugby nations respect each. That no other rivalry in rugby, perhaps all sport, is basted in this much respect. Well, a glance online shows that things are fraying at the edges.
This just shows how much it all means to both sets of coaches, players and supporters. One could argue that this is the most important game for the Boks since their one point win over New Zealand in the World Cup final three years ago.
Their claim to global dominance hangs by a thread. They simply cannot afford to lose this one. On the other hand, the All Blacks know that they are on the cusp of something quite extraordinary.
Cape Town Tests are usually stodgy affairs though the rain seems to have held out. Still, it won’t necessarily be a pretty thing this afternoon. Whoever wins it will have to dig deep and go to some dark places.
We’ll find out who comes out on top once things kick off at 3:10 pm local time/4:10 BST.
Teams and other updates to come. Feel free to write in. I’d love to hear from you.
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