The All Blacks have lost to the Springboks 18-12 in Cape Town this morning, the visitors throwing away a healthy halftime lead for their fourth consecutive defeat to their great rivals.
It is the first time in 75 years that the All Blacks have lost four consecutive Tests against the Boks, and, once prop Tyrel Lomax was yellow carded in the final 10 minutes the result was predictable.
Lomax was sent to the sinbin by referee Matt Carley for an off-the-ball shoulder charge on Boks wing Cheslin Kolbe which, like last weekend at Ellis Park when Ofa Tu’ungafasi was yellow carded, left the All Blacks short at the death.
It made the visitors’ task that much harder and, while it appeared a harsh decision by the officials, the All Blacks could have no complaints.
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The Boks outscored them two tries to nil, with Damian McKenzie missing three second-half penalties. The home side also had a close call on a potential try for Eben Etzebeth which was ruled out by the television match official.
It was another case of the All Blacks getting themselves into a winning position and failing to get home.
They led 9-3 at halftime but again suffered in the final quarter, their woeful record of being unable to score a point in the final 20 minutes of a Rugby Championship Test this year continuing.
McKenzie’s three misses were crucial but so was the All Blacks’ inability to capitalise on the yellow card to Boks fullback Willie le Roux for an intentional knock-on in the second half.
There were two other yellow cards in the first half – Boks No.8 Jasper Wiese leaving the field for a cynical ruck offence and All Blacks wing Sevu Reece going off for making contact when challenging for a high ball.
There were some positives for the All Blacks and head coach Scott Robertson, who rolled the dice on rookie loose forward Wallace Sititi, the 21-year-old having an outstanding first half. Lock Tupou Vaa'i also had an excellent Test.
The set piece was sound and, on the whole, the All Blacks defused the Boks' maul well.
But there will be more questions about the balance of the All Blacks' attack and their ruthlessness, or lack of, in the crunch moments.
McKenzie’s misses came from 55 metres – well within Jordie Barrett’s range – and two closer attempts.
The Boks, rattled again by the All Blacks’ defence early, took the lead in the 50th minute when skipper Siya Kolisi went over from close range, with replacement hooker Malcolm Marx virtually sealing it with an entirely predictable try from a lineout drive with seven minutes remaining.
McKenzie had earlier cut the Boks’ lead to one when kicking a penalty in the 59th minute but from there, once again, it was all South Africa.
It means the All Blacks have lost the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2010.
The two-Test assignment in South Africa was always going to be challenging for Robertson and company but they must quickly regroup ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney on September 21. Another defeat there would be disastrous.
South Africa 18 (Siya Kolisi, Malcolm Marx tries; Handre Pollard pen, con; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu pen) All Blacks 12 (Damian McKenzie 4 pens)
Halftime: All Blacks 9-3
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