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09/05 13:28 CDT South Africa outmuscles New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 rugby
series lead
South Africa outmuscles New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 rugby series lead
JOHANNESBURG (AP) --- South Africa imposed its forward power on New Zealand and
won a pulsating third test 29-24 to snatch a 2-1 lead in their historic rugby
series on Saturday.
The comeback from losing the first test ensured the Springboks cannot lose the
series. They have a chance next Saturday in the fourth and final match in
Baltimore to clinch their first series victory over the All Blacks since 1976.
The Springboks muscled up in the set-pieces to prevail. The scrum earned a
penalty try to level at halftime 12-12 and when they led for the first time an
hour in, they secured the win with a magnificent, crabbing lineout maul from
which Malcolm Marx dived between the posts and thumped the ground in joy.
"We're so proud of the win today," South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said, "but
it was a great game from the All Blacks. They pushed us to the limit."
For the first time in the series, they matched New Zealand for tries --- four
each --- and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu replaced injured goalkicker Cheslin
Kolbe to slot seven points.
Crucially, counterpart Ruben Love missed seven out of nine points off the tee.
Also, New Zealand captain Ardie Savea was lost to injury after 30 minutes,
costing the All Blacks their leading physical presence.
They can still rescue a series draw against the pre-tour odds next weekend but
the inspirational Savea won't travel to Baltimore, "gutted" New Zealand coach
Dave Rennie said.
They rued careless errors that gave hope back to South Africa after they led
17-12.
A missed tackle by Leroy Carter allowed South Africa's Jesse Kriel to stroll in
untouched. The host's two-point lead then became nine with 14 minutes to go. A
kick over the deadball line led to the maul and Marx try that energized the
Boks in front of their biggest crowd of the tour: 85,976.
"We just couldn't get our game going for long enough to hurt them," Rennie
said. "When we hit the lead (in the second half) we gave up a soft try. To be
fair, they dominated the next 15 minutes."
Penalty try from scrum
In a breathless end-to-end first half, wrecking ball hooker Asafo Aumua, danger
winger Will Jordan and Savea spearheaded New Zealand's best start in the series.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu was fortunate to concede only a yellow card and not a
penalty try for a deliberate knockdown in the same New Zealand attack that
forced off Kolbe with a head knock.
Moments later, Aumua set up Savea's 34th test try that made him the forward
with the most in men's internationals.
Prop Ox Nch and winger Ethan Hooker were carrying South Africa, which held out
with 14 men and managed to score when Damian de Allende brushed off Carter and
gave other winger Kurt-Lee Arendse an overlap try.
Savea's second try featured a big sidestep by lock Tupou Vaa'i in his 50th test
and Savea's skip pass to Carter. Feinberg-Mngomezulu played the ball out of the
ruck and Savea scooped it up on the run to score.
Five minutes later, Savea was leaving with a suspected shoulder injury. That
brought in Wallace Sititi, whose sister Amarante also came off the bench and
scored in the New Zealand women's 52-20 win over South Africa in the
curtain-raiser.
New Zealand spent the last 10 minutes under siege and Love was yellow-carded.
The South Africa scrum, already menacing, earned the penalty try for 12-12 when
a pushover attempt was interfered with.
But with new props, New Zealand got a scrum penalty for what referee Nika
Amashukeli said was South Africa walking around. It was the first time in the
series the Springboks were called out for it. Scrums have been a flash point
and South Africa has denied walking around. The 52-meter penalty kick was
missed by Love.
Love also missed converting a try by Jordan, whose chip was collected by
Carter, who popped up for the trailing Jordan to grab his 54th try.
At that point, South Africa replaced stalwarts Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Nch
and New Zealand got careless.
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