Springboks Reign Supreme After Epic Win Over All Blacks in Baltimore

The Springboks were crowned champions of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry after producing a sensational second-half display to overcome the All Blacks 43-28 in a thrilling showdown in Baltimore. tr-sport.click

The Boks dominated for much of the game and finally put daylight between themselves and a brave but ultimately outgunned All Blacks team with an emphatic 26-14 second half performance in front of a heavily green-tinged 68,173 crowd – a record for a rugby match in the USA.

It was a fitting result and performance in Bok coach Rassie Erasmus’s 100th Test guiding the playing affairs of the men in green and gold – an eighth win in the last 10 tests against the All Blacks – and concluded an intense series with a statement performance.

The Boks outscored the All Blacks in tries (six to four) for the first time in the series with heroic performances across the field, with scrumhalf Morne van den Berg being one in a man of the match performance, which also included a conversion.

Damian de Allende, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cameron Hanekom also crossed while Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder, and Beauden Barrett, in the final minute, scoring for New Zealand.

It was a very different outcome to the first Test four weeks ago, when New Zealand took a 33-16 win in Johannesburg. Since then, the Springboks have waxed ever stronger with victories in Cape Town (33-26) and Soweto (29-24) and this 43-28 epic performance.

The Springboks’ intent was obvious from the moment they received the kick off, opting to run the ball from their own 22 – rather than choosing the clearing kick. They made good ground and a couple of phases later as they drove upfield took the first points from a penalty goal by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after he himself was victim of a high tackle as he surged into contact.

It was short-lived however. The All Blacks punched back with a try by hooker Codie Talyor from a period of sustained pressure. Quick hands, tapped penalties and slick offloads stretched the Boks defence left and right and back again until the dam burst with Taylor running on to a triple-cut-out pass from Cam Roigard to surge through a chink in the defensive wall.

They claimed a second from wing Will Jordan just before halftime in similar fashion. The Boks had held out for an astonishing 32 phases within 10 metres of their own goal-line in only the second period of All Black pressure in the match.

But they were finally breached when the peerless Jordan surged onto the ball to score his fourth try of the series, angling in from his right wing, to cross just to the left of the poles to finally breach the defiant green wall.

The score had broken what had been a Bok siege on All Black territory through much of the half; the problem was they were only able to take seven points from it. They kept the All Blacks penned in their own half for a long period but only had a try by Damian de Allende to show for it; the powerful centre picked up at a goal-line ruck and levered himself through a tackle to score his 13th test try.

Van den Berg’s five-pointer a few minutes later gave the Boks a 17-7 lead before that was cut to just three points with Jordan’s try moments before the break.

The Boks went straight back onto the attack after the restart, rolling on two new props, Lood de Jager and Andre Esterhuizen in place of the workhorses Ruan Nortje and Siya Kolisi.

The fresh legs had an impact as an All Black knock-on in their own 22 led to a scrum penalty; which led to a five-metre lineout which led to a maul; which led to a 29th Test try for Marx – and his eighth against New Zealand. It felt pretty inevitable.

Four minutes later a fourth try gave the Springboks a two score lead but the idea that the game was put to bed was more proved to be an illusion. The try was claimed by Pieter-Steph du Toit, converted by Van den Berg in place of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who limped on for ten more minutes before being replaced.

The All Blacks had barely seen the Springbok half, never mind the 22, but it took only one entry to close the gap once again as the tireless Ethan Blackadder to cut the lead to eight points with 15 minutes remaining.

But it was not to be for the All Blacks. Arendse picked up a loose ball and weaved his way 60 metres to the tryline after Hanekom dislodged the ball from Jordan in a tackle.

Hanekom then pounced on a loose ball as the All Blacks tried to run from their own half before Barrett had the final word. Too little, too late. Game, set and match, Springboks.

Scorers:

Springboks 43 (17) – Tries: Damian De Allende, Morne van den Berg, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cameron Hanekom. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Morne van den Berg, Manie Libbok (2). Penalty goal: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

New Zealand 28 (14) – Tries: Cody Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder, Beauden Barrett. Conversions: Damian McKenzie (4).

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Image Credit: Springboks/X

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The Springboks beat the All Blacks 43-28 in the fourth and final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore, USA, on Saturday to win the series 3-1.

The Boks outscored the All Blacks six tries to four.

This is how The Citizen rated the performance of the Bok players, out of 10, on Saturday.

Damian Willemse 7: He was strong under the high kicks, in the kick receipt, and so dangerous in space with ball in hand. A very satisfying outing.

Kurt-Lee Arendse 9: What a game … he contested for the high kicks, but his biggest impact was with ball in hand, and in space. He made several good, penetrating runs, and eventually scored a super try.

Jesse Kriel 6: He didn’t get many chances with ball in hand, but he defended well and made some strong carries over the gainline.

Damian de Allende 8: A super performance. Though he lost ball in contact early on, he carried over the gainline, making several metres, and he scored a good try from close.

Ethan Hooker 8: He made tackle after tackle, jumped high for balls, and asked plenty with the ball in attack when he got a chance.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 6: He made a few nice runs and kicked well at goal, but kicked out long and attempted an unnecessary drop goal. Gave away a penalty at a ruck. A bit all over the place.

Morné van den Berg 9: Simply sensational. He made tackles, ran hard with the ball, passed well, stole balls at the breakdown and even kicked a conversion. He also scored a try and is now number one in No 9 queue.

Jasper Wiese 7: He worked hard all game, and made several big carries, getting his team onto the front foot. He also made his tackles.

Pieter-Steph du Toit 7: He was strong on the kick receipt, carried well and often, and put in some big and important tackles. He also scored a try.

Siya Kolisi 8: He played up to the 43rd minute, but made several big and important tackles and he carried the ball well. A big shift from the skipper.

Ruan Nortjé 7: He ran the lineouts well for the most part, winning a throw on All Blacks put-in, put in his tackles and carries. Was busy in the loose.

Eben Etzebeth 7: A big performance from the veteran. He won a breakdown turnover, stole lineout ball, and charged down a kick. Big, big effort.

Wilco Louw 6: He was the anchor of a solid Bok scrum, and put in some tackles in a quality 43 minute showing.

Malcolm Marx 8: Another big performance; his lineout throws were good, he was busy in the loose, making tackles and carries, and he scored a try.

Ox Nché 7: A strong showing in the scrums, without fully dominating. He also got involved in loose play, with carries and tackles.

Bench

Deon Fourie 6: He came on in the 50th minute and missed his man in the lineout on two occasions. He also gave away a penalty at a ruck, but brought energy to the game.

Gerhard Steenekamp 6: Played most of the second half and was solid in the scrums, made a few decent tackles.

Thomas du Toit 6: Also on in the 43rrd minute; he continued the team’s good scrumming, but also gave away a penlty.

Lood de Jager 8: Played for most of the second half and made a big impact with his powerful carries.

André Esterhuizen 8: Played on the flank, carried often and made a few good runs with ball in hand.

Cameron Hanekom 8: He brought speed and energy to the game. He gave away a penalty, but scored a try after a steal at a breakdown.

Cobus Reinach 7: Had to slot in on the wing, but did well, making a few good runs to keep All Blacks players on their toes.

Manie Libbok 6: Kicked directly into touch and gave away a penalty for head contact in tackle, but made some nice runs.

Morné van den Berg says he doubted whether he’d even be part of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series after a long injury layoff.

But the Lions scrumhalf put in another assured performance in the Boks’ 43-28 win over the All Blacks in Baltimore and was named Man of the Match.

It was a remarkable turnaround for Van den Berg, who only returned to action in August after recovering from a bicep injury that required surgery and kept him sidelined for three months.

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Given that setback, the 28-year-old admitted it had looked unlikely that he would even be able to play in the series.

“It’s so emotional,” he told SuperSport after the match.

“I just want to thank the Lord. It looked impossible that I could play in this series but His miracle hand touched me and it’s been such a massive honour to play for this team, for this jersey, for our country and for my family back home. So proud of the boys that we could pull it through and it’s all glory to the Lord.”

Van den Berg’s performance was made even more memorable by scoring his first try against the All Blacks, something he described as a childhood dream come true.

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“It’s special. It’s always good to score tries but it’s a bit more special to score in this game,” he said.

“It’s been a dream come true. You dream of this as a young boy playing in the garden, scoring tries in the corner of the garden and then to be able to do it on this field in America, in Baltimore, in front of this amazing crowd – I’m speechless.”

Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images

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