MATCH REPORT: All Blacks v Springboks, First Test | Rugby's Greatest Rivalry
All Blacks go 1-0 up in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series
It was a game fully representative of all 105 years of contact between the sides. Still, when it came down to tactical finesse, ball security and opportunities taken, the All Blacks enjoyed a five tries, two of them to wing Will Jordan, to one advantage.
South Africa’s power game dominated the first 45 minutes of the contest, with the All Blacks scrum subjected to extreme pressure, yet South Africa couldn’t turn that into a game-winning points advantage. The All Blacks had only 39 percent territory across the game, but enjoyed a 56 percent possession advantage while winning 14 turnovers to five.
By the end of the game, South Africa’s desperation resulted in two yellow cards in the last 10 minutes that allowed the All Blacks to finish the game in a canter.
All Blacks defence stands up in Ellis Park cauldron
The much-feared Springbok bomb squad was not unleashed, and the box-kicking failed to give the home team the advantage they sought.
They were happy to take points from penalty goals. But New Zealand’s defence, making 132 tackles to 86, denied the Springboks scoring chances, never more than when second five-eighths Jordie Barrett got his hand on a ball being carried by Springbok hooking powerhouse Malcolm Marx to force him to drop the ball in the act of diving for a try in the 36th minute.
Then, after South Africa looked to take advantage of their soft-kick lobs over the All Blacks backs, a 47th-minute charge down by lock Fabian Holland of a clearing kick by halfback Grant Williams saw him reclaim the ball, sidestep first five-eighths Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and score.
WATCH: All Blacks v South Africa highlights (available in selected territories)
All Blacks bench makes huge impact in second half
The All Blacks never conceded the lead from that point. The try coincided with the introduction of prop Fletcher Newell and hooker Asafo Aumua, a move that relieved the scrum pressure immediately but then turned it back on South Africa.
Wing Cheslin Kolbe opened the scoring with a fourth-minute penalty goal, but the South Africans found themselves on the end of penalty errors, and the All Blacks made the most of it to get into Springbok territory.
At a second lineout in the 22m area, after eight minutes, the All Blacks drove for halfback Cam Roigard to have a dart at the line. He was able to get back into position and fire a long pass in front of three All Blacks for Jordan to dive over in the corner.
But All Blacks’ mistakes allowed the Springboks to reply similarly, using their lineout to move the ball wide, where replacement back Andre Esterhuizen burst through wing Josh Moorby’s tackle to cross in the 13th minute.
WATCH: Get the scoop on Richie Mo'unga's return to the All Blacks with Behind the Fern
The All Blacks had a chance as they got into the midfield in front of the posts, but Holland conceded a neck roll, and the Springboks cleared.
However, the All Blacks kicked deep, and when Feinberg-Mngomezulu opted to take a mark in the 22m area, the All Blacks won the resulting lineout. Second five-eighths Jordie Barrett took the tackle in midfield, then was back in position when the ball was worked back to the blindside.
His long pass found flanker Tupou Vaa’i on the sideline track where he got ahead to slip a pass inside to Moorby. He slipped a tackle and ran in for the try after 22 minutes. No sooner had they claimed the lead through first five-eighths Ruben Love’s sideline conversion than a penalty was conceded after the restart for Kolbe to land another penalty goal.
South Africa rue missed opportunities
South Africa returned deep into the All Blacks’ half but missed two scoring chances. Marx’s effort followed moments later when Feinberg-Mngomezulu opted for a cross-field kick that went directly to touch. The better option would have been to retain the ball, but that was reflective of the weaker decision-making by the Springboks throughout.
The All Blacks were again under defensive pressure before the break, especially with lock Josh Lord and prop Ethan de Groot forced to leave the field after hitting heads in attempting a tackle.
But the line held and halftime saw a 13-12 margin to the home team. Still, concern over penalties remains. In the first half, especially, the penalties favoured South Africa 4-9, which allowed them to get their big men, especially No8 Jasper Wiese, who was a handful every time he got the ball in his hands, and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, running hard and asking questions of the All Blacks defence.
Another penalty goal was landed by Kolbe six minutes into the second half. However, Holland charged his kick down, recovered the ball, stepped Feinberg-Mngomezulu and scored.
The momentum changed, and the All Blacks took control in the most emphatic result in recent New Zealand history.
WATCH: Coach Dave Rennie and Captain Ardie Savea react to the first Test victory
Scoring Summary: All Blacks v South Africa
South Africa 16 (Andre Esterhuizen try; Cheslin Kolbe con, 3 pen) New Zealand 33 (Will Jordan 2, Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland, Luke Jacobson tries; Ruben Love 4 con). HT: 13-12
