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South Africa beat New Zealand 29-24 in the third Test at FNB Stadium to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. The Springboks produced a brilliant second-half display after the teams were tied at 12-12 at half-time.
South Africa beat New Zealand 29-24 in the third Test at FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City, on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
The Springboks produced a brilliant, powerful second-half display after the teams were locked at 12-12 at half-time. The win made it back-to-back home victories for South Africa since losing the opening Test, and means they cannot lose the overall series. The fourth Test in Baltimore, United States, on September 12 is effectively a money-spinning appendage after three matches in South Africa. South Africa and New Zealand arrived ranked first and second in the world.
The win confirmed South Africa as the standard bearers in world rugby, with unrivalled power and consecutive World Cup titles, and red-hot favourites for next year's World Cup. South Africa's tries came from Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx, with one penalty try awarded. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted two of his three attempts and also kicked a penalty.
For New Zealand, captain and number eight Ardie Savea scored twice, while wing Will Jordan and replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho each touched down once. Fly-half Ruben Love and full-back Damian McKenzie added one conversion each. New Zealand made a statement of intent early, stopping the Springboks' maul, knocking back number eight Jasper Wiese and unleashing a mesmerising run from Will Jordan up the middle.
South Africa then suffered a double blow in the 10th minute when full-back Cheslin Kolbe left with a head injury and Feinberg-Mngomezulu was yellow-carded for deliberately knocking down a Savea pass. Kolbe had converted all 11 goal kicks he took in the first two Tests of the series. New Zealand swiftly took advantage of the extra man. From the following line-out move, Asafo Aumua, promoted to the starting line-up in place of long-serving Codie Taylor, broke clear.
When Aumua was halted, Savea picked up the loose ball and dived over for the opening try. Feinberg-Mngomezulu's return from the sin-bin coincided with sustained Springbok pressure. Centre Damian de Allende made an outside break, and Arendse took his pass to score in the corner. Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the conversion, leaving the hosts trailing 7-5 midway through the first half at the stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
Savea struck again on 26 minutes. After Arendse held up winger Leroy Carter just short of the tryline, the All Blacks captain snatched the ball and crossed the whitewash for a seven-point advantage. The first half was frenetic, with the power of the Springboks ranged against the pace of the All Blacks. New Zealand looked especially dangerous on the counter, with Tupou Vaa'i's footwork and their collective skill standing out.
For the third week in a row, South Africa finished the first half the stronger. Manie Libbok went close after an astonishing pickup by Ox Nche. Just before the break, a dominant Springboks scrum near the New Zealand line saw the visitors backpedal. Referee Nika Amashukeli awarded a penalty try, and Ruben Love was yellow-carded for infringing on his own line.
That made it 12-12 at half-time. The All Blacks are evidently the Springboks' closest challengers, but they lost captain Ardie Savea to injury, with Wallace Sititi replacing him after 30 minutes. Cheslin Kolbe lasted only 10 minutes, so both teams had key absentees. New Zealand still had no excuse.
Before the Test, there had been a war of words, with both camps questioning the legality of their rivals' scrummaging tactics. Georgian referee Amashukeli policed the set piece well, giving clear instructions to the front rows. No scrum had to be reset until 10 minutes into the second half. The second half took time to ignite until Love missed a penalty.
Jordan then started and finished the All Blacks' third try, chipping through for Leroy Carter, who popped the ball up off the floor for his fellow winger. Almost immediately, South Africa regained the lead. Jesse Kriel slipped past Carter too easily and sped to the line, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu's conversion made it 19-17. Carter had helped create Jordan's try with a pass after being tackled, but his poor attempt to tackle Kriel proved costly.
Jordan then overhit a kick that led to a Springboks scrum. The resulting penalty was kicked to the corner, and a ferocious forward rumble was finished off by Malcolm Marx. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted and added a penalty to give South Africa a 12-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
New Zealand had finished the stronger in both previous Tests, but this time they could only manage a consolation pushover try from Samisoni Taukei'aho with the clock deep into the red after the final hooter. The score made the final margin 29-24 and closer than the match had looked after the Springboks' second-half surge.
South Africa started with Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Wilco Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje, captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese. South Africa's replacements were Manie Libbok for Kolbe (9), Morne van den Berg for Reinach (42), Thomas du Toit for Louw (50), Gerhard Steenekamp for Nche, Lood de Jager for Etzebeth and Deon Fourie for Kolisi (56), Cameron Hanekom for Wiese (61), and Andre Esterhuizen for Marx (67).
New Zealand started with Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Leroy Carter, Ruben Love, Cam Roigard, George Bower, Asafo Aumua, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Sam Darry, Peter Lakai, Luke Jacobson and captain Ardie Savea. Wallace Sititi replaced Savea in the 30th minute.
Anton Lienert-Brown came on for Tupaea (42), Xavier Numia for Bower and Fletcher Newell for Lomax (45), Fabian Holland for Darry and Samisoni Taukei'aho for Aumua (61), Kyle Preston for Roigard (66), and Josh Moorby for Carter.
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IrishTimes:South Africa go 2-1 up on New Zealand after another ferocious clash in JohannesburgThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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