As first courses go, this was a delicious appetiser to a series that looks set to live up to its billing. First blood goes to New Zealand, who withstood a barrage of South Africa scrum pressure and demonstrated a slickness the double world champions could not live with, clinching a first win at Ellis Park since 2022.
It wasn’t a classic, but a statement victory by the All Blacks to which South Africa must respond in the coming weeks. By the end, South Africa had two men in the sin-bin and, given their status as the world’s leading side, this must go down as a disintegration. There will be a backlash – it is hard to remember a time when South Africa were so inaccurate with the ball in hand – but credit New Zealand for producing a masterclass at weathering the storm and taking their chances. It is 30 years since Sean Fitzpatrick led the All Blacks to a first series victory in South Africa, but the class of 2026 are off to a flying start.
The All Blacks chalked up five tries to South Africa’s one and they were even calling for scrums late in the second half, having found parity to nullify the Springboks’ only threat on the day. The last meeting between these sides in Wellington ended 43-10 in South Africa’s favour. This was some revenge mission.
South Africa, for their part, may wonder how New Zealand kept 15 men on the field during a period of sustained pressure near their line early in the second half. Their profligacy in the New Zealand 22 should be of more concern to Rassie Erasmus and his assistant coaches, however.
The pre-match verbals had all centred around speed. New Zealand wanted a fast-paced game, South Africa supposedly wanted to slow it down. It matters little what tempo you play at if you cannot catch the ball.
Three of New Zealand’s five tries came in the right corner – targeting the scrum-half Grant Williams’ position was clearly a pre-planned strategy – but this was a victory founded on defensive courage. South Africa’s handling was woeful, but their powerful runners, led by the No 8, Jasper Wiese, and their ruthless scrum gave them a platform in the middle 40 minutes of the game that would have been enough to brush aside most teams. That New Zealand survived before ruthlessly taking their chances is some feather in the cap for Dave Rennie’s side.
It was a stop-start first half – injuries and ill-discipline ensuring the whistle was rarely far from the lips of the referee, Matt Carley. New Zealand were the first to cross the tryline – Will Jordan continuing his stunning scoring rate by finishing in the right corner past Williams. Cheslin Kolbe had kicked South Africa into a 3-0 lead and the Boks were in front again when André Esterhuizen – on after 10 minutes for the injured Kurt-Lee Arendse – powered through Josh Moorby all too easily to score.
Moorby atoned with a sharp finish, gathering a delightful offload from Tupou Vaa’i at the second attempt for New Zealand’s second try, but another Kolbe penalty edged the Springboks back in front on 26 minutes.
South Africa turned the screw thereafter, but wasted three visits to the All Blacks’ 22 – Malcolm Marx the most culpable when knocking on just short of the line, though credit to Jordie Barrett, who did remarkably well to force the error.
The second half began in a similar vein and Kolbe further extended South Africa’s lead with another penalty, awarded for further scrum dominance, but the Springboks scrum-half was charged down by Fabian Holland at the restart and the Dutch-born New Zealand lock had the simplest of scores.
South Africa responded with another scrum barrage but their inaccuracy in the New Zealand 22 again let them down and Carley awarded a scrum penalty to the All Blacks on their own line, immediately alleviating the pressure It typified their heart shown and soon after Luke Jacobson was over from close range – territory brought about after a scything run down the middle from Damian McKenzie. Ruben Love converted for a 10-point lead.
The Springboks were desperate by this stage, unable to get on the right side of Carley, and the humiliation was complete when the replacements Marco van Staden and Cobus Reinach were sent to the sin-bin for infringing near their own line in quick succession. Jordan’s second, again out on the right, put the exclamation mark on a thoroughly deserved victory.
