The Springboks have put one hand on the series trophy after a 29-24 victory over the All Blacks in Soweto this morning thanks to a powerful second-half performance which capitalised on the absence of New Zealand skipper Ardie Savea.
The inspirational Savea will not travel to the United States for next Sunday’s fourth Test in Baltimore due to a shoulder injury and that setback by itself will leave a sour taste for the All Blacks, quite apart from their defeat and inability to deal with South Africa’s scrum pressure.
The set piece was a problem again for the All Blacks and it contributed to South Africa’s second-half dominance. Dave Rennie's men will have their complaints about some of the penalties dished out against them but there is no doubting the Boks' dominance in this area.
With the match poised 12-12 at halftime and the visitors optimistic about their finishing ability on the highveld – they had outscored the Boks by a combined score of 33-12 in the second halves of the first two Tests – the home side’s power game was simply too much.
A Will Jordan try had put the All Blacks up 17-12 after 55 minutes but Jesse Kriel’s reply after too easily brushing aside Leroy Carter was a killer. Malcolm Marx’s from a driving maul was a final nail and a perfect illustration of the home side’s strength.
The two converted tries put the Boks out to a 26-17 lead, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s penalty with 14 minutes remaining all but putting the match out of reach.
Savea had scored two tries as the All Blacks enjoyed their best start of the Greatest Rivalry series but left the field nine minutes before halftime after a brutal cleanout by opposing hooker Marx.
It was a huge blow for the All Blacks, who up to that point had attacked with a fluency and accuracy that had the Boks in trouble at FNB Stadium but which, coincidentally or not, they could not maintain.
Certainly, they could not maintain the pressure and intensity with which they attacked the world champions’ breakdown, although referee Nika Amashukeli clearly favoured the home side here.
A quizzical look towards the Georgian official by Jordan late in the second half when he was told not to contest for the ball on the ground probably summed up the feelings of an entire nation.
Amashukeli was predictably a central figure – sending Boks No.10 Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the sinbin for an intentional knock-on of Savea’s offload to an unmarked Peter Lakai when a yellow card and a penalty try would not have been an inappropriate sanction.
Still, the All Blacks crossed the line from the resulting lineout and charge by the impressive Asafo Aumua, Savea going through the middle of the ruck to score the 34st try of his Test career.
Fullback Cheslin Kolbe’s departure due to injury immediately afterwards was another sign that it could be the All Blacks’ day, but things are rarely that simple in South Africa.
Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try came quickly in reply but the momentum swung back New Zealand’s way again with Savea featuring twice in a remarkable sequence.
First, the No.8’s wide cut-out pass found Carter, who went close, with Savea crossing after a questionable Feinberg-Mngomezulu intervention at the breakdown.
Savea soon departed and then came another key Amashukeli decision, the referee yellow carding All Blacks No.10 Ruben Love for being offside as the All Blacks defended their line.
It was a line call at best – coach Dave Rennie described it afterwards as “hard to take” – and it preceded an ominous scrum shove by the home side, Amashukeli quickly awarding a penalty try.
The official began the second half after collegially patting Feinberg-Mngomezulu on the back and the next 10 or so minutes contributed to the problems the All Blacks would face at the end of the match.
They simply could not play with the tempo and cohesion they wanted, and, while the Boks, couldn’t either, it suited the home side better.
Jordan’s try after a fine support line for Carter’s break was promising and gave New Zealand the lead but it was all undone by Carter’s miss on Kriel.
The All Blacks were not helped by Love’s two missed kicks at goal – the conversion for Jordan’s try and a penalty – and so they were left chasing a game that was rapidly disappearing into the distance.
A late try through for hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho was no consolation.
“A bit gutted,” Rennie said. “The boys put a lot into that. We just lost a bit of momentum and couldn’t play with tempo we wanted in second half.”
It’s on to Baltimore for the All Blacks, who can now only hope to draw the series.
South Africa 29 (Kurt-Lee Arendse, penalty try, Jesse Kriel, Malcolm Marx tries; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2 cons, pen)
All Blacks 24 (Ardie Savea 2, Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho tries; Ruben Love con, Damian McKenzie con)
Halftime: 12-12
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