Springboks Break Soweto Hoodoo With Historic Victory Over All Blacks
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The FNB Stadium hoodoo was finally put to bed in front of 85,976 roaring fans as the Springboks secured their first-ever victory at the Calabash in a cauldron of noise in the heart of Soweto on Saturday.
The Boks held their nerve to claim a memorable 29-24 victory over the All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
The first half was a frantic battle of attrition, with the breathtaking pace set by both sides making for mesmerising viewing.
Matching each other on the try-scoring front, both sides crossed the whitewash four times, but the Springboks finished stronger to seize the ascendancy in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
The victory saw the Boks take a 2-1 lead into the final Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
The first big break of the game came in the seventh minute when Will Jordan collected a deep kick and sliced through the Bok defence before executing a kick-and-chase, only for Cheslin Kolbe to clean up the danger.
From there, the All Blacks began to assert their dominance with ball in hand, leaving the Springboks’ defence scrambling both around the fringes and out wide.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on, while Kolbe was escorted from the field for a HIA, ending his game and handing South Africa a double blow.
From the attacking lineout that followed the penalty, Ardie Savea powered over as the Springboks struggled to organise defensively. It was his 34th try for the All Blacks — a record for an international forward.
Ruben Love made no mistake from the kicking tee as the All Blacks took the lead following a frantic opening to the game.
With the Springboks growing into the half and gaining some much-needed territorial advantage, it was the hosts’ turn to punish the visitors out wide.
Damian de Allende shrugged off the challenge of Leroy Carter before releasing Kurt-Lee Arendse, who finished off a sensational move to score a brilliant try.
The relentless pace of the half showed no signs of abating, with the dangers out wide continuing to threaten the Boks.
Arendse produced a superb tackle on Carter, but with Feinberg-Mngomezulu committed to the ruck and his hand pushing the ball backwards, Savea pounced on the loose ball and cantered over the whitewash for the easiest of tries.
That proved to be the All Blacks captain’s final telling contribution, as he was forced from the field with an injury after just 30 minutes.
The half ended with the Springboks launching a blistering counter-attack, with brilliant work from Jasper Wiese and Manie Libbok taking them to within inches of the try line before Ox Nche was held up.
But the Boks weren’t to be denied. The ensuing scrum was utterly dominant, forcing the All Blacks into retreat and earning South Africa a penalty try, while Love was sent to the sin bin for a cynical infringement.
HALF-TIME: SOUTH AFRICA 12-12 NEW ZEALAND
The Springboks failed to make the most of their numerical advantage early in the second half, and New Zealand soon reclaimed the lead.
In the 56th minute, Will Jordan’s kick was brilliantly retrieved by Carter, who returned the ball to Jordan with the Boks’ cover defence nowhere to be seen. Jordan raced through to score and restore the All Blacks’ lead at 17-12.
From the kick-off, Carter was exposed defensively once again, this time beaten by Jesse Kriel in the 58th minute as the Springboks hit back immediately.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu made no mistake from the tee to give the Springboks a 19-17 lead — their first of the pulsating contest.
With fresh legs injected for both sides, the Springboks began to seize control and build momentum.
Then came a statement of sheer power. The Boks’ rolling maul thundered 15 metres through the heart of the park before Malcolm Marx peeled off and crashed over for an impressive try.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the extras to give the Boks a nine-point lead, 26-17, with 13 minutes remaining.
New Zealand were penalised for a poor cleanout at the ruck and, with the posts in sight, Feinberg-Mngomezulu made no mistake from the tee to add another three points.
The kick stretched the Springboks’ lead to 12, with the score 29-17 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Samisoni Taukei’aho scored a late try after the hooter, but it was too little, too late.
Unlike the previous two Tests, it was the Springboks who controlled the closing stages under the Soweto sky, holding their nerve to see out a memorable victory.
For Siya Kolisi, the win was even more significant, as he became the Springbok captain with the most victories to his name. It was Kolisi’s 55th win in 77 Tests as captain, surpassing John Smit’s long-standing mark of 54 victories (achieved in 83 Tests).
Prior to this victory, South Africa had lost both previous Test encounters against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium (22-29 in 2010 and 16-32 in 2012).
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