South Africa vs New Zealand LIVE rugby: Result and final score as All Blacks hold off Springboks in thriller
South Africa 23-35 New Zealand: With their backs against the wall after recent results, the All Blacks held off a thrilling comeback from the Springboks in Johannesburg to claim a vital win
Centre David Havili and lock Scott Barrett scored late tries as New Zealand eased the pressure on coach Ian Foster with a superb 35-23 victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Captain Sam Cane and hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho also scored tries as the All Blacks silenced the 61,519 crowd to claim what will be viewed as a famous win having lost five of their previous six tests.
The Springboks were not as clinical as they had been in the 26-10 victory over the visitors the previous week as they scored tries through sublime centre Lukhanyo Am and winger Makazole Mapimpi, but faced opponents who were vastly improved.
Whether the victory is enough to save Foster’s job will become clear in the coming days, as New Zealand prepare to host Argentina in their next Rugby Championship clash on Aug. 27, while the Boks travel to play Australia on the same day.
Relive the action from a thrilling Rugby Championship clash, below:
South Africa vs New Zealand: Last time out
South Africa’s Willie Le Roux’s scored a last-minute try to seal a famous 26-10 victory over New Zealand and pile further misery on the All Blacks.
New Zealand were chasing the match after a dominant display from the Springboks, when Le Roux’s late try reflected their superiority on the scoreboard.
We go again in Johannesburg today. Kick-off coming up.
South Africa vs New Zealand: Team news
Here’s a reminder of this afternoon’s teams - Jacques Nienaber has made four changes to his starting XV as the Springboks gun for back-to-back wins over the All Blacks. Faf de Klerk was knocked out cold during the early stages of last week’s victory, so Jaden Hendrikse starts at scrum-half with Jess Kriel on the right wing instead of Kurt-Lee Arendse, who has been banned for four weeks after his dangerous tackle on Beauden Barrett. Two-thirds of the front row have changed with Ox Nche and Joseph Dweba starting at loosehead prop and hooker respectively.
The big news for New Zealand is that Bauden Barrett is surprisingly dropped to the bench as Richie Mo’unga starts at fly-half. There are three changes in the pack as props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax and blindside flanker Shannon Frizell are all promoted after coming on as replacements last week. Tighthead prop Fletcher Newell could make his All Blacks debut after being named among the subs.
South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse; 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi; 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Jaden Hendrikse; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Pieter Steph du Toit, 8 Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements:16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Willie le Roux.
New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett; 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 David Havili, 11 Caleb Clarke; 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Sam Whitelock, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane (c), 8 Ardie Savea.
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Quinn Tupaea.
South Africa vs New Zealand: Odds
First and anytime try scorer
- Makazole Mapimpi 7/1 - 1/1
- Jesse Kriel 11/1 - 13/8
- Joseph Dweba 12/1 - 15/8
- Damian Willemse 20/1 - 10/3
- Lukhanyo Am 20/1 - 10/3
- Jaden Hendrikse 25/1 - 4/1
- Damian de Allende 28/1 - 9/2
- Handre Pollard 28/1 - 9/2
- Lood de Jager 33/1 - 13/2
- Siya Kolisi 33/1 - 6/1
South Africa poised to sound death knell on Ian Foster era
Barely a year out from the Rugby World Cup and the All Blacks are in crisis. Not just a mini-crisis or sort-of crisis, but a full-blown catastrophe.
Come Monday morning, they are likely to be without a coach as South Africa look set to sound the death knell for the Ian Foster era in Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park – where, in a proclamation that would have been unthinkable for most of the country’s rugby history, a New Zealand defeat feels inevitable.
Luke Baker previews
South Africa poised to sound death knell on Ian Foster era for the All Blacks
Defeat for New Zealand in this weekend’s Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park will likely spell the end of the coach’s underwhelming tenure
South Africa vs New Zealand: Odds
Match Result
South Africa win - 1/2
Draw - 17/1
New Zealand win - 15/8
Handicap Betting
South Africa (-6) - 1/1
Draw - 16/1
New Zealand (+6)- 1/1
Richie Mo’unga on All Blacks criticism back in New Zealand
“They care about our team and care about our results, but it’s also fair of us to not care about what they think because we have a role to do, a role to play, and hearing that isn’t going to help us at this moment,” Richie Mo’unga said.
“I’m at a stage now if you’re not in our squad, I don’t really care what you think, with all respect.
“We’re trying our best, and we know it’s not good enough for All Blacks standards.”
Siya Kolisi underlines need for Boks to ‘build momentum’ and beat New Zealand
Siya Kolisi says the Boks want to keep building momentum a little over a year out from the start of their World Cup defence in France and beating the All Blacks two weeks in a row would lay down a major marker, even if the latter are battling for form.
“We take it game by game; we don’t want to be thinking too far ahead. All we can control is how hard we work and how hard we play on Saturday. It’s important for us to play well and win. We want to make sure we give it everything we can.
“We want to make sure we are building momentum going forward, not just for now, but next year as well.”
The Boks have won nine of their previous 14 tests against the All Blacks at Ellis Park and are seeking a third straight victory in matches played at any venue.
Siya Kolisi delighted to reunite with World Cup winning loose trio
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi can’t wait to be reunited with his Rugby World Cup winning loose trio partners against New Zealand on Saturday, the first time they have played together since lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy three years ago.
The Boks host the All Blacks in a second Rugby Championship test at their fortress Ellis Park, looking to build on their 26-10 victory in Nelspruit last weekend that was their biggest victory over New Zealand in 94 years.
Kolisi will scrum with fellow flank Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen for the first time since the 2019 World Cup final, where they were instrumental in the Boks beating England 32-12 in Yokohama.
Injury has largely kept them apart up to now, but they will be a handful on attack and defence for the All Blacks, and potent at the breakdown.
“It is the same game-plan as we had during the World Cup and we expect the same from each other,” Kolisi told reporters on Saturday. “It doesn’t matter who I’m playing with, I have to deliver the same level.
“My job doesn’t change but having someone like Duane back in the team with that level of experience... I need as much experience around me on the field as I can get.”
All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick calls for calm
All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick had previously called for composure amid calls for Ian Foster to be sacked after the third-Test defeat against Ireland.
“Have they got a team that is a capable of winning the World Cup? From what we’ve seen in the last two weeks, you would doubt that,” Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports.
“But the All Blacks don’t turn from being a world-class team to a not world-class team overnight.”
Julian Savea defends Ian Foster after criticism and pressure on All Blacks coach
“In a country where mental health is a big issue - where 72 per cent of suicides are men and a high number of depression amongst men, you would think people would be a bit kinder,” Savea said on Twitter.
“And think about their words before they make remarks on someone’s integrity, appearance and character, especially when they don’t know them on a personal level.
“I’m ashamed that this is how a human is treated and dragged in the media here in NZ.”
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