The iconic Soccer City stadium in Soweto played host to another epic chapter of rugby union’s most storied rivalry on Saturday, as defending world champions South Africa pulled off a hard-fought 29-24 victory over a gritty New Zealand side to seize a 2-1 advantage in the four-match Greatest Rivalry Series. The encounter, packed with dramatic momentum shifts and world-class athleticism, lived up to every bit of its pre-match hype, with the Springboks’ signature physical set-piece dominance ultimately proving the difference in the final quarter.
Pre-match tensions ran high ahead of kickoff. South Africa captain Siya Kolisi had urged his side to play with purpose, honouring the anti-apartheid activists who lost their lives in Soweto decades earlier. National pride was further stoked after New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie publicly criticized the Springboks’ scrum technique following South Africa’s second Test win in Cape Town the previous weekend. Expectations were for an explosive opening from the home side, but the All Blacks calmly defused the early pressure with smart tactical play.
A turnover breakdown by young flanker Peter Lakai halted an early Springbok surge, and fullback Will Jordan broke clear to shift play into South Africa’s 22-meter zone. When Springbok fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was yellow-carded for knocking down Ardie Savea’s offload, the All Blacks capitalized from the resulting penalty: a clever line-out movement opened space on the fringe of the ruck, and Savea crashed through a stretched defense to open the scoring. Things got worse for the home side shortly after, when star winger Cheslin Kolbe – who held a perfect kicking record through the first two Tests – was forced off with a head knock, dealing a double blow to South Africa’s scoreboard and confidence.
For much of the first half, New Zealand’s quick ball handling and tactical creativity neutralized South Africa’s well-known set-piece supremacy. Hooker Asafo Aumua got the ball away cleanly from retreating scrums, and innovative line-out calls kept the Springboks off balance. But as All Black discipline began to fray under constant pressure, South Africa grabbed their opening: center Damian de Allende shrugged off a tackle from Leroy Carter and fed winger Kurt-Lee Arendse to score in the 21st minute.
New Zealand reclaimed a 12-5 lead minutes later, when second rows Sam Darry and Tupou Vaa’i carved out valuable territory with their agile play, and Savea scooped up a loose ball to score his second try of the half. But the Springboks’ scrum power could not be contained forever. Front row trio Malcolm Marx, Wilco Louw and Ox Nche lived up to the pre-match challenge, ploughing through the All Black pack to force a penalty try, leveling the scores at 12-12 going into halftime. Tragically for the All Blacks, their influential captain Ardie Savea was forced off the pitch just before the break with a shoulder injury, robbing the side of his on-field leadership for the final 40 minutes.
The second half began with tension thick enough to cut, and fly-half Ruben Love missed a long-range penalty opportunity that would have put the All Blacks ahead. In the 55th minute, it looked like New Zealand was on track for a historic away win – only the second ever on South African soil, after the 1996 “Incomparables” side claimed a 2-1 series victory – when Jordan chased his own kick and crossed for a try to open up a 17-12 lead.
But the Springboks responded within two minutes, as Jesse Kriel powered through a weak tackle from Carter to score the home side’s third try, putting South Africa ahead for the first time all match. The Boks extended their advantage in the 62nd minute, leveraging their scrum dominance to force another penalty from replacement All Black prop Fletcher Newell. Kicking the penalty into the corner, South Africa’s pack formed a 15-meter rolling maul that rumbled toward the line, with Marx plunging over for the decisive try.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted and added a penalty in the 70th minute to push the lead out to 29-17, giving the 85,976-strong Soweto crowd – already singing an adapted Cranberries-inspired tribute to head coach Rassie Erasmus – plenty to celebrate. Although All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho crossed for a late try in the final play of the match, it was not enough to overturn the scoreline, leaving the final score 29-24.
The series now heads to Baltimore in the United States next weekend for a decisive fourth and final Test. New Zealand, who won the opening match of the series, will be looking to secure a draw, while South Africa will target a series win on neutral American soil. Rugby fans around the world have already hailed the three-match encounter so far as a showcase of the best of international rugby, with the All Blacks pushing the world champions to the brink in every clash.