South Africa v New Zealand LIVE: Rugby result and reaction after Springboks thrash All Blacks
The Springboks and All Blacks square off in their final Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham
South Africa laid down a marker ahead of the Rugby World Cup with a record win over New Zealand at Twickenham.
In the final warm-up fixture for both southern hemisphere sides before the tournament in France, the Springboks were close to irresistable, capitalising on the All Blacks’ indiscipline to produce a statement 35-7 thrashing.
First half tries from Siya Kolisi and Kurt-Lee Arendse were followed by scores from Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi and Kwagga Smith after the interval as the world champions flexed their muscles ahead of the defence of their crown in front of a close-to-capacity crowd in London.
Cam Roigard’s spectacular late consolation was all that New Zealand could muster on a disastrous evening for head coach Ian Foster, with Scott Barrett sent off as thee All Blacks suffered their biggest ever defeat.
The lock was shown a second yellow card after dropping a shoulder into Marx’s head and will face a disciplinary hearing, while starting tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax was also carted off with a serious-looking leg injury.
The All Blacks open the World Cup against hosts France in Paris on Friday 8 September, while South Africa begin their campaign against Scotland in Marseille two days later.
Follow the action from Twickenham with our blog below and you can find the latest rugby tips and betting offers here:
South Africa vs New Zealand
England and Fiji were here earlier for their match-eve training ahead of tomorrow warm-up fixture.
While Steve Borthwick’s side were, as per usual, all business, the bit of Fijian training we were permitted to see consisted almost entirely of a semi-organised kickabout, which was quite refreshing.
South Africa vs New Zealand
The winner of this encounter will get something called the Qatar Airways Cup, South African rugby having forged close ties with the airline as part of a travel agreement that helped enable their four domestic sides to compete in the Champions Cup and URC. The purple branding does jar slightly at Twickenham, where British Airways are a principle partner - the staff have tried their best to remove as many references as possible but there are a few advertising hoardings in the upper tiers that haven’t been covered up.
South Africa vs New Zealand
There’s an ever more threatening sky overhead at Twickenham, with the wind beginning to whip up slightly and threatening to bring with it a bit of precipitation. It will be mostly South African voices shouting from the stands this evening but there are plenty here all in black, too.
Rugby World Cup 2023 schedule, fixtures, match dates and kick-off times
Rugby World Cup 2023 schedule, fixtures, dates and kick-off times
Every game of the Rugby World Cup as hosts France kick-off the tournament against favourites New Zealand in Paris
Top of the props?
There has been plenty of focus on the impact that a settled, well-grooved backline has had during that All Blacks unbeaten run, but it’s also important to pick out the emergence of a group of test-quality props as a catalyst. Both Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax have really kicked on in the last 12 months or so, solidifying things at scrum time and offering plenty around the park, too. They more than matched their more vaunted South African counterparts in that Rugby Championship encounter.
The giant Tamaiti Williams looks a useful addition to Ian Foster’s squad this summer, too, and getting Fletcher Newell back fully fit further deepens Foster’s prop pool. Can that quartet match Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and the rest of the Springboks’ scrummaging unit again?
Eben Etzebeth keen to avoid a repeat of Rugby Championship defeat
That opening 20 minutes in Auckland earlier this summer really was captivating, with the All Blacks producing some of their best rugby of the last half-decade to overwhelm a Springboks side early on. The All Blacks have quietly assembled an 11-match unbeaten run since suffering a first home defeat to Argentina last year and would usurp Ireland at the top of the world rankings if they win by more than 15 points tonight.
Not that South Africa are likely to let them streak away. South Africa feel properly up for this encounter, ready to right the wrongs of their Rugby Championship loss by firing out of the blocks.
"They came with a massive start and we are preparing this week to try and do better," Eben Etzebeth explained earlier in the week. "We need to improve all aspects. We pride ourselves on our set-piece and our defence, and we want to have a good kicking game and attacking play.
"This is going to be one of the most competitive World Cups ever because there are so many teams putting up their hands to go on and win."
Springboks not fretting over cards with South Africa confident in their technique
Much of England’s World Cup build-up has been dominated by discussions about tackle height and cards, with the red cards shown to Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola and subsequent disciplinary proceedings disrupting much of the last two weeks for Steve Borthwick’s side.
For a team that plays with an undoubted physical edge, South Africa’s discipline tends to err on the right side of the line, which Siya Kolisi suggested this week was down to hard graft on the training paddock.
“We train over and over with our technique. Rugby is played at a certain height now, with the mauling, scrumming, breakdown and tackle," the flanker said.
"We can be as physical as we are because we have trained for it over and over, and the muscle memory is on it. It is uncomfortable down there, it is not nice when someone so big is running at you and you have to get down low.
"That is why you have to learn how to meet them and react to a level change and all those types of things. It takes a lot of hard work.
"World Rugby are trying to protect us by keeping the game clean, so we are fine when are done playing.”
Can New Zealand unlock the South African blitz defence again?
That array of playmakers has allowed the All Blacks to consistently trouble the Springboks defence over the last few years. Everyone remembers how Jacques Nienaber’s defensive system suffocated Japan, Wales and England as South Africa went on to World Cup triumph, but forgotten from the 2019 World Cup was how Richie Mo’unga and co the way to exploit the spaces left by the hard outside blitz in a thrilling pool encounter.
The All Blacks looked to be nearing that sort of attacking level in that brilliant opening quarter against South Africa in the Rugby Championship. With Mo’unga, both back Barrett brothers and Will Jordan so comfortable stepping up into the line as playmakers, they can present multitudinous threats and ask a defence to make constant decisions. While I don’t imagine Ian Foster’s side will show all of their tricks tonight with just a fortnight until that mouthwatering World Cup opener against France, they still should have plenty to throw at South Africa.
Canan Moodie gets an opportunity in the centres
One area where the Springboks aren’t quite at full noise is the midfield, where Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel will surely occupy the two centre spots at the tournament. Andre Esterhuizen is a more-than-handy back-up 12, though, and Canan Moodie is exceptionally high on potential.
More often sighted on the wing, this is a first senior appearance at outside centre for the smooth strider, who has all the tools to be an international star. He wouldn’t be the first Southern Hemisphere back to make a breakthrough on the wing before moving inwards – Rieko Ioane, of course, made a similar transition a few years ago, while Jordan Petaia and Lucio Cinti have emerged as regular starters at 13 for Australia and Argentina respectively.
“Canan is an exciting player and he’s shown it with how he can score tries with ball in hand,” said Esterhuizen of his new centre partner. “He must just go out there and stay composed. I have no doubt we’ll link up well together.”
New Zealand will surely test Moodie, with their ability to operate with multiple world-class ball-handlers a tough proposition for the 20-year-old to encounter first up in his new role. But Moodie has responded well to every challenge presented to him so far in his young test career – his performance tonight will be intriguing with a wing World Cup starting spot very much up for grabs, too.
Siya Kolisi and South Africa ‘will not hold anything back’
There was a thought that both the Springboks and the All Blacks might rest a few more first-choice players with the World Cup now so close, but these sides are pretty close to the best that South Africa and New Zealand can put out, injuries aside.
"That shows what the intent is,” Siya Kolisi said this week. “This is not a friendly game. It has never been.
“We are looking forward to the battle, it will be a physical game as usual in one of the biggest rivalries in sport.
"We will not hold anything back. There are 82,000 people coming to see us and we don’t want to disappoint those who have paid money to watch this game. We want to give it everything on the field and I think it will be a beautiful game."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments