- Springboks beat the All Blacks 33-26 at Cape Town Stadium on August 29 to level the series 1-1.
- Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi scored the Boks’ tries, while Cheslin Kolbe kicked four penalties and three conversions.
- Boks coach Rassie Erasmus made a late front-row switch before kick-off, with Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit starting.
- Siya Kolisi left the field shortly after the hour mark, handing the captaincy to Pieter-Steph du Toit on his 100th Test.
- Erasmus hit back at Dave Rennie’s scrum complaints, rejecting claims that South Africa illegally “walks around” at the set-piece.
- The teams meet again at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday to decide the series.
Springboks rediscover their power game
The Springboks responded strongly in Cape Town, overpowering the All Blacks at the set-piece to secure a 33-26 victory and level Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Kriel struck inside the opening minute before De Allende and Kolisi crossed as South Africa built a commanding platform.
Kolbe added four penalties and three conversions with an almost flawless night off the tee.
New Zealand refused to surrender. Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter and Ardie Savea all scored, keeping the All Blacks within striking distance.
The Boks, however, absorbed the pressure and held on for a crucial win.
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Erasmus switches front row before kick-off
Erasmus made five changes to his named team, with the biggest alteration coming in the front row.
An hour before kick-off, Steenekamp, Fourie and Du Toit replaced Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw in the starting combination. Erasmus explained that the decision followed a change in the weather forecast.
The move initially appeared risky, but Nché and Marx entered before half-time and helped restore the Boks’ scrum dominance. That pressure eventually created the platform for Kolisi’s try.
Erasmus later acknowledged that the changes still left room for improvement. He explains the switches ahead of the Johannesburg decider.
Kolisi makes way as Du Toit reaches milestone
Kolisi was withdrawn shortly after the hour mark, with Pieter-Steph du Toit taking over as captain.
The change gave Du Toit an extra milestone on an already significant night. The veteran forward earned his 100th Test cap and finished among the match’s joint-top tacklers.
More importantly, he finally recorded his first Test victory over the All Blacks.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie’s scrum criticism
The post-match tension centred on Dave Rennie’s complaints about the scrum.
The All Blacks coach had accused South Africa of illegally “walking around” during scrums. Erasmus rejected the accusation in emphatic fashion, insisting that the Boks were “scrumming through” rather than walking around.
The Springboks coach also pointed to New Zealand scrums that collapsed and were reset without penalties. He contrasted that with South Africa’s decision not to publicly complain about head-contact incidents from the previous Test.
While Erasmus praised the improvements Rennie has brought to the All Blacks, he made it clear he had grown tired of what he regarded as the New Zealand coach’s repeated complaints.
The rivalry now moves to Johannesburg, where South Africa and New Zealand will play the series-deciding third Test at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Erasmus will hope the Boks can turn their improved scrum performance into another complete display when the series goes on the line.
