Springboks edge All Blacks 29-24 in Soweto to take a 2-1 series lead

South Africa beat New Zealand 29-24 at Soccer City in Soweto on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead in the four-Test Greatest Rivalry series, with the final match to be played in Baltimore next weekend.

The Springboks scored four tries through Kurt-Lee Arendse, a penalty try, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding two conversions and a penalty. New Zealand crossed four times through Ardie Savea (twice), Will Jordan and Samisoni Taukei’aho.

As BBC News Africa reported on 5 September, the world champions came on strong in the final quarter to overpower a spirited All Blacks side. That account is accurate, and the scoreline tells the story of a match that turned on set-piece power in the closing stages.

What the numbers say

The crowd of 85,976 at Soccer City is among the largest to watch a rugby Test in South Africa, and it is the kind of figure that matters beyond the scoreboard. A sold-out stadium in Soweto for a match against the All Blacks is a commercial and symbolic statement about where the sport sits in this country.

For the Springboks, the win means they cannot lose the series. A draw in Baltimore would be enough to take it. For New Zealand, who won the opening match, only a win will do.

The match was decided in the final quarter. Jordan’s try in the 55th minute put New Zealand 17-12 ahead, and for two minutes it looked as though the All Blacks might pull off a rare win on South African soil. Kriel’s try two minutes later put South Africa ahead for the first time, and Marx’s try from a driving maul, followed by a Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty, gave the Boks a 12-point cushion.

Taukei’aho’s try in the final play narrowed the gap but could not change the result.

What a South African reader should know

New Zealand have won a series on South African soil only once, in 1996, when the All Blacks took a 2-1 victory. That record remains intact for now, and it is the context that makes the Baltimore Test more than a dead rubber for the visitors.

The series has been played under the banner of the Greatest Rivalry, a marketing name for a contest that needs no marketing in either country. The decision to play the fourth Test in the United States is part of a broader push to take the game to new markets, and it means the series will be decided in front of a crowd that will be largely neutral.

For South African rugby, the result is a reminder of where the team’s strength lies. The scrum and the maul delivered the decisive points, as they have so often under Rassie Erasmus. New Zealand coach Dave Rennie had criticised South Africa’s scrum technique after the second Test in Cape Town, and the response on Saturday was delivered on the field.

Captain Siya Kolisi had called on his team to honour those who died in nearby Soweto during the fight against apartheid. The match was played in a stadium that sits at the heart of that history, and the crowd’s response was part of the occasion.

The state of the series

South Africa lead 2-1. The fourth and final Test will be played in Baltimore next weekend. New Zealand need a win to draw the series. South Africa need a draw or a win to take it.

The Springboks’ next assignment after that will be the end-of-year tour, but for now the focus is on finishing the job in the United States.

Source: BBC News Africa, South Africa finish strongly to take 2-1 series lead against All Blacks