The All Blacks dazzled with their attacking game again but the Springbok power game came through as the world champions surged to a thoroughly deserved 29-24 win in front of 87 000 fans at the FNB Stadium to put them into an unassailable lead in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
In the process, the Boks secured for their coach Rassie Erasmus the status of becoming the most successful of any international coach against the All Blacks ever, meaning no coach has won more games against the Kiwis, which perhaps explains why some sections of the New Zealand media seem to so revile him that they stoop to cheap character assassinations.
Siya Kolisi also claimed the record of becoming the most successful Bok captain ever in terms of wins, but he won’t pay too much attention to that.
He is way too selfless for that. What will matter to him is that he and his team will go to Baltimore for the final game 2-1 up and playing for sole claim of the first RGR trophy as they once again, as they did in the British and Irish Lions series five years ago, came back from a game down to win the next two tests.
Advantage, Springboks 🇿🇦🏉
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 5, 2026
South Africa win at FNB Stadium for the first time in history 👏👏@TigerWheelnTyre | #RugbysGreatestRivalry | #SSRugby pic.twitter.com/z9So2i8Bfe
The All Blacks, so improved on where they were under their previous coach, will be playing for a share of the trophy in the knowledge that they did not emulate the 1996 team by winning a series on South African soil.
LAST 25 MINUTES TURNED MINI-SERIES IN HOST TEAM’S FAVOUR
That little mini-series was decided emphatically in the Bok favour in a 25 minute period where they took control of the to turn a five-point deficit into a 12-point lead as their power game, as it so often did before this series in the latter part of matches, just took control of the contest.
There were only five points in it at the final whistle, but that was because of a consolation try scored after the hooter had sounded.
In other words the game was done and dusted as a contest by then and until that point, when the All Blacks got into the Bok half because the Boks were playing too quickly and expansively when they should probably have just wrapped the ball up in their dominant forwards.
The one thing the All Blacks have proved on this tour, as they did there, is that they have a great ability to convert their opportunities when they come, and there is a lot of work for the Boks to do in terms of plotting a way to blunt their attacking threats both ahead of Baltimore next week and beyond that.
The All Blacks were sublime with their attack in the first half and for a while it looked like they might deliver on their threat to run the Boks off their feet, with Ardie Savea, their captain, barging over after a sustained period of attacking which had the Bok defenders chasing shadows, for the first try of the game in the 10th minute.
That was just after Bok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu had been yellow carded for a tap down as he desperately decided to defend the Bok line.
The TMO confirms a deliberate knock-on, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is in the sin bin for 10 minutes 🟨
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 5, 2026
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The Boks managed to survive the period they were down to 14 men and bounced back with a well taken backline try in the 21st minute after a good attack from the Boks that saw inside centre Damian de Allende drawing two men to create the space Kurt-Lee Arendse exploited out wide.
Great build-up and KLA goes over in the corner. Conversion is wide - NZ lead 7-5 after 22 minutes 🦅
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 5, 2026
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Ruben Love had converted the All Black try but Feinberg-Mngomezulu was just wide with his touchline attempt, so when Savea scored a second try, with space once again being so easily created for the All Blacks out wide, it meant the Boks were trailing 12-5 after 28 minutes.
LOOKED IN TROUBLE IN THE FIRST HALF AS SCRUM BALED THEM OUT
At that point the Boks looked like they were in trouble.
The Georgian referee Nika Amashukheli, unlike the Australian Angus Gardner the week before, did reward the Bok scrum on their own ball, but there had been some disruption for the Boks, with Cheslin Kolbe leaving the field injured before the first try was scored and not returning.
That was why Feinberg-Mngomezulu was doing the kicking, and also why Manie Libbok was on the field.
Let it be said that Libbok showed in this game just why he is so valued as an attacking threat, while Feinberg-Mngomezulu also more than did his bit from fullback.
But it was the forwards who swung the game in the last 10 minutes of the half, and would have gone to the break feeling a lot happier following a penalty try awarded from an attacking scrum that brought the scores level.
The scores are level after the Boks are awarded a penalty try from a massive scrum, after Ruben Love has been sent to the sin bin 💪
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 5, 2026
Live updates: https://t.co/WSKtmdtIQB 🏉#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/ALt2i23qzO
It felt like they were a bit lucky to be 12-all at that point, but their scrumming superiority was an ominous warning to New Zealand, who lost first Savea and later their excellent centre Quinn Tupeao to injury.
Indeed, as the game wore on you could see the wear and tear becoming evident in the All Blacks and there are some bruises that will need healing before Baltimore.
The biggest bit of healing though will be required to their forwards, who disappeared once the Boks had bounced back from a well-taken try to Will Jordan in the 56th minute by sending in Jesse Kriel with a quick response that, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s conversion, gave the Boks the lead for the first time in the match after 58 minutes.
Jesse Kriel finds space on the right and goes over for a great try. SFM adds the extras and the Boks lead by 19-17 with just over 20 minutes to go 🥳
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 5, 2026
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MASSIVE MARX MAUL TRY PUT THE SEAL ON IT
Five scrum penalties to the Boks in almost as many put ins told the story of the Bok anchor in the game, but it was an almost freaky maul that ate up more than 20 metres and resulted in Malcolm Marx dotting down near the posts that was the statement moment, and clincher, for the Boks.
Malcolm Marx!!!! What a driving maul by the Boks. SFM adds the extras - SA lead 26-17 with 13 minutes to go 🦏
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 5, 2026
Live updates: https://t.co/WSKtmdtIQB 🏉#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/aOwYZC2HjB
Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a penalty not long after that to take the lead to 12, and by then it was all the Boks, who despite playing into the teeth of an icy and strong, swirling wind, almost camped in All Black territory from then on.
Spurred on by the crowd, the Boks, who had also made some significant changes from the bench by then, got more and more physical with their tackles, and the early gaps for the All Blacks attacking game to exploit just weren’t there any more as they were smashed backwards.
The Boks were all pretty outstanding in that last quarter of the game, and outside of the forwards there was an excellent showing from reserve scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, Libbok was a constant thorn in the New Zealand defence, Feinberg-Mngomezulu was imperious too, but the standout above all others over the 80 minutes was the combative and robust wing Ethan Hooker, who was a deserved recipient of the official man of the match award.
The All Blacks played their part in a magnificent match that was a great advertisement for the RGR concept and a lesser team than the Boks would surely have succumbed, and by some margin.
But the Boks are not the reigning world champions for nothing, and they proved why they are in that last half hour when their power game came to the fore.
Scores
South Africa 29 - Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx; Penalty try; Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2; Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
New Zealand 24 - Tries: Ardie Savea 2, Will Jordan and Samisoni Taukei’aho; Conversions: Ruben Love 2.