The Boks are back. Level at one apiece in the series after a return to what they do best. Blending power and directness, blood and thunder, to edge far enough ahead of New Zealand and withstand a gutsy comeback from the All Blacks. Throw in some brazen mischief from Rassie Erasmus, who swapped his entire front-row just an hour before kick-off, and this was much closer to a trademark Springboks performance after they were unrecognisable a week ago.
South Africa were far from flawless but constantly ferocious. It was not a knockout blow – not least given how the All Blacks finished the match – but it was some counterpunch after last week’s humbling. The third Test is scheduled for Johannesburg but they may consider relocating to Manila.
Erasmus had been up to his usual games all week. Naming his team on Monday, swapping his fly-halves 24 hours before kick-off by recalling Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and then coming up with his front-row switcheroo, starting with Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit and relegating Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw to the bench. Nché and Marx were introduced on 36 minutes and promptly won two penalties to set up Siya Kolisi for a crucial try and stretch their half-time lead to 10 points. Marx was inspired thereafter while Cheslin Kolbe, who was drafted into the side on Friday, kicked 18 points.
Whether Erasmus should have been allowed to switch his front row so soon before kick-off ultimately depends on the fine print of the tour agreement between the two unions. That he would not have been able to without medically justifying the decisions in the World Cup demonstrates how close to the wind the head coach is sailing.
What is not up for debate is just what a savage intensity this Test was played at. The All Blacks were braced for a Bok-lash but could do little to stop South Africa’s opening score inside two minutes. Jordie Barrett did not get enough distance on his clearance after New Zealand received the kick-off and from the resulting lineout, the Springboks’ maul went into overdrive. Jessie Kriel was soon over. Statement of intent made.
For all that South Africa were fired up, the All Blacks were not to be cowed. They demonstrated last week how slick they can be showcasing their ability to use the rapier in response to the bludgeon. After a series of wonderfully dextrous passes, Will Jordan found himself in space on the right, releasing Cam Roigard inside him.
The most significant difference in South Africa’s performance was how direct they were and Kolbe nosed South Africa back ahead with a penalty before the Springboks struck again with another maul leading to Damian de Allende’s close-range score. Again New Zealand responded with a devastating score – Ardie Savea busting up the guts before Damian McKenzie was sent clear to the right-hand corner on the angle. It was another demonstration of how lethal the All Blacks can be.
Just as was the case at Ellis Park, the Springboks came on strong towards the end of the first half and some nifty footballing skills from Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Kolbe forced a scrum five metres out. Cue the introduction of Nché and Marx and Kolisi’s try on his comeback to the side. Marx then proceeded to make a thunderous tackle on Luke Jacobson, with the All Blacks threatening on the left, to bring an end to a pulsating half.
A couple of silly penalties allowed Kolbe to stretch South Africa’s lead early in the second and a trademark jackal by Marx gave him the chance to do so again soon after. The Springboks seemed content to hold what they had at that stage, Eben Etzebeth coming up with a crucial lineout steal with the All Blacks threatening to build up a head of steam on the hour mark. Leroy Carter’s speedy finish on the left trimmed the gap to 11 but another Marx penalty at the breakdown was typical of South Africa’s determination. Kolbe duly added another three points before South Africa, who lost Lood de Jager to the sin-bin, survived a grandstand finish after the outstanding Savea bustled over.
