Scrum dominance and veterans' punch: Five takeaways from Springboks victory in Soweto
From scrum dominance to Cheslin Kolbe's injury blow, here are five major lessons from South Africa's series-leading win over New Zealand.
Five takeaways from South Africa's thrilling 29-24 victory over New Zealand in the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series at FNB Stadium in Soweto:
1. South Africa's scrum unit, coached by Daan Human, delivered an exceptional performance, setting the tone with relentless penalties and a pivotal penalty try. The team's front row, led by Ox Nché and Wilco Louw, maintained their dominance throughout the match.
2. The All Blacks' backline fluidity clicked following the early exit of Cheslin Kolbe, who suffered a broken jaw and was ruled out of the remaining Test. Manie Libbok's energetic playmaking injected much-needed tempo, while young winger Ethan Hooker showcased a standout performance with tireless defense and impressive ground-gaining carries.
3. South Africa secured their first-ever win over New Zealand at Soccer City, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. The triumph came at a heavy cost, with Kolbe's injury and the All Blacks losing their captain, Ardie Savea, to an arm injury during the grueling encounter.
4. Several South African players demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude to overcome early setbacks and adapt to the challenging conditions. Pieter-Steph du Toit responded to an early missed tackle with relentless physicality, while Jesse Kriel overcame missed tackles and a knock-on to score a crucial second-half try.
5. South Africa's bench management was crucial in overcoming adversity. Malcolm Marx made vital breakdown steals and powered over from a rolling maul, while Morné van den Berg provided high-speed service to close out the 29-24 win, despite playing in a swirling gale-force wind in the second half.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
