MATCH THAT MATTERED: Boks take ‘moral victory’ in series after overpowering All Blacks in Soweto

The Springboks underlined their World Champion credentials by overpowering the All Blacks with both physicality and speed at a seething FNB Stadium to win the match that really mattered in the series.

There is still one game to go and the Boks lead the series 2-1. But make no mistake, this was the match that mattered.

The team winning at least two Tests out of three in South Africa have ‘morally’ won the Greatest Rivalry series. What happens in Baltimore next week is important, but not decisive.

Under Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks have won everything they possibly can and continue to set the standards for others to chase. The All Blacks are close, but not quite there yet.

The tourists were well beaten at 29-17 down as the final hooter sounded to end the pulsating third Test.

But the visitors kept throwing everything at the Boks and scored their fourth try through hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, to match the four the Boks had scored.

A one-point win would have sufficed for either side. But when the scores were locked at 12-12 at halftime, the tone was set for another epic struggle in this storied history. This was the Boks’ first win in three meetings, at the FNB Stadium.

The Boks’ scrum dominated and set a platform for the victory, but this was won in more than one area, and in key moments. A breakdown penalty win here, and a missed kick there, were decisive. Small mistakes were magnified.

Both sides conceded 11 penalties, but the Boks used theirs to create more momentum at crucial times, which is something the All Blacks will rue in the coming days.

Boks’ demise?

The Boks reminded the world that news of their demise has been greatly exaggerated, and that they can play with finesse and brutal power. They are far from one-dimensional.

Players such as No 8 Jasper Wiese and captain Siya Kolisi punched holes in the All Blacks’ defensive line, while wing Ethan Hooker commanded the air, and was omnipresent on attack and defence.

Kolisi became the most successful Bok captain in history, recording his 55th win as skipper.

Damian de Allende and Malcolm Marx were colossal as usual, while Manie Libbok still looks like the flyhalf with an ability to get the most out of the Bok backline.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was excellent after moving to fullback – a yellow card notwithstanding – and the Boks surprised New Zealand by playing with width.

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea was immense before he hurt a shoulder and went off before halftime. He will not travel to America.

Wing Will Jordan continues to confound with his ability to ghost into space and through tackles, and flank Peter Lakai threw everything at the Boks.

Acknowledging 46 superb players

Singling out individuals though, is unfair, because there were 46 superb players on the field during 80 minutes.

But it was Rassie Erasmus’ men who produced a muscular, towering performance that was too much for a brave and brilliant All Blacks to cope with.

Dave Rennie’s team are on the rise, but they’re not quite at the Boks’ level in the clutch moments of the big games.

The Boks just know how to win the matches that matter most. They proved it at the World Cup, and underlined it again during the last two weeks, with their backs to the wall after going 1-0 down in the series.

The All Blacks are closing the gap though, and what now looks like an inevitable World Cup quarterfinal showdown next year – thanks to World Rugby’s draw vagaries – will be a must-see clash.

A late try for the All Blacks gave the final score gloss. But make no mistake, the All Blacks were well beaten, especially in the second half, when the home team turned the screw.

The Boks scored four tries, played with width as well as direct play, which came off the back of a dominant scrum and by winning the aerial battle.

Tough conditions

Conditions were tough, with an icy wind blowing the length of the field, but both sides performed as if it was a perfect windless day.

In the early exchanges, it looked like the All Blacks might cut loose as they moved everything wide with pace, signalling their intentions immediately.

The Boks’ defence was up to the task, making the tourists push passes down dangerous alleys. But such is their skill set that they found space at times, only for the Boks’ scramble defence to do its job.

But one of those attacks resulted in Feinberg-Mngomezulu going for a 50/50 ball and knocking it on.

It was deemed deliberate by referee Nika Amashukeli, and the Bok flyhalf was yellow-carded.

At the same time, fullback Cheslin Kolbe hobbled off, having moments earlier made a last-gasp tackle that resulted in a head knock.

He has a broken jaw.

Omens not good, with 14 men

With 14 men and a backline reshuffle, with Libbok coming on, the omens were not good for the Boks.

From the penalty, which the All Blacks stabbed to touch for a line-out, captain Savea scored.

After winning the ball quickly off the top, hooker Asafo Aumua swept around and dented the Bok defence. Savea arrived at the ruck, picked the ball up, and surged for the line, seemingly all in one movement to open the scoring.

From the restart, the Boks thought they were in when Hooker took the ball, but he was adjudged to have knocked on in the process of catching it.

The Boks though, with Libbok in at flyhalf and Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fullback, looked a far more dangerous prospect with ball in hand.

When the All Blacks lost a line-out just inside their own half, the Boks swept their unexpected possession right and left, and right again.

They stretched the All Blacks’ defence for the first time in the series, and the visitors were found wanting as wing Kurt-Lee Arendse darted in for his 26th try in his 34th Test.

From the next restart, the ball was in play for almost four straight minutes as the Boks scrambled in defence several times, making some superb last-ditch tackles.

But each time they turned the ball over in this passage of play, they failed to kick to touch, and the All Blacks revelled in the broken play.

Eventually they fashioned space on the left for wing Leroy Carter to surge for the line.

Arendse made a sensational tackle to stop him, but Savea was on hand to scoop up the scraps and score in the corner.

Although the All Blacks were in charge on the scoreboard, the Boks were shading the physical battle and causing problems with their willingness to go wide.

The Boks were not afraid to attack from deep, and one of those should have resulted in a try after Libbok cut his way through the defence. Libbok stumbled short of the line, but the Boks recycled quickly and should have scored, but for the goal-line intervention of flyhalf Ruben Love.

The All Blacks pivot was yellow-carded and the Boks had their moment – choosing a five-metre scrum. They smashed the All Blacks pack – now without Savea, who sustained a serious-looking shoulder injury – and Amashuskeli awarded a penalty try to the hosts to draw scores level.

Dominant second half

After halftime the All Blacks scored first, slightly against the run of play when Jordan grubbered through a flat Bok defence for Carter to chase.

The wing collected and passed inside to – who else but Jordan – who was on hand for a 54th Test try.

The Boks’ response was immediate, with Hooker rising and winning the perfect restart. Three phases later, centre Jesse Kriel was put into space and he bounced through Carter’s tackle to level the scores. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted to give the Boks a 19-17 lead just shy of the hour mark. It was the first time the home team led in the game.

The defining moment of the contest came in the 66th minute when Jordan punted from deep inside his own half and the ball rolled dead 65m downfield.

It was the right option but an unfortunate execution. The Boks took a scrum, won a penalty, kicked to touch, won the line-out and mauled nearly 20m for Marx to score.

Minutes later Feinberg-Mngomezulu landed a 40m penalty to settle the matter. DM

Scorers

South Africa – Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Penalty try. Jesse Kriel, Malcolm Marx. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2). Penalty: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

New Zealand – Tries: Ardie Savea (2), Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Conversions: Ruben Love. Damian McKenzie.