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Sat 5 Oct 2013 | 05:43
All Blacks claim the Rugby Championship after epic battle with the Springboks

28
Comments

The Springboks knew what was needed to claim the Rugby Championship, and achieved part of the mammoth task by scoring a four try bonus point, but conceded five in what was a thrilling game of rugby, won 38-27 by the All Blacks in the end.

New Zealand won at Ellis Park for the first time in 16 years as they not only beat their greatest rivals away from home, but claimed another Rugby Championship title, going unbeaten all season.

They started the better of the two sides with a brilliant early try to prolific tryscorer Ben Smith. The Springboks then bounced back with two great tries of their own, finished well by Bryan Habana. 

First it was Duane Vermeulen that put Habana away, then Francois Louw with an excellent pass before the speedy winger chipped the covering defence. Habana pulled up shortly after that with a hamstring injury, leaving the field on 52 Test tries.

Liam Messam crossed for the All Blacks after a strong build up, and also made a decisive blow just before halftime, after South Africa had attempted to run the ball out from their own 22.

Messam was later yellow carded for slowing the ball down, as was Ben Franks, although his was for a swinging arm to the face of replacement prop Coenie Oosthuizen.

Willie Le Roux scored, and then Jean De Villiers crossed for the all important fourth try but with the All Blacks having scored three of their own at that stage, by the time Beauden Barrett scored it was Championship over for the home side, taking a slight bit of sting out of the contest.

Read, who had an incredible match, got on the end of a neat bit of play by Julain Savea, rubbing salt into the wounds and extending the visitors' lead, securing the well deserved win.

Over 60 000 fans witnessed an unbelievable spectacle, one that will long be remembered as an epic game between the two best teams in the world. A mention should also be made of referee Nigel Owens, who did a stellar job under immense pressure on an enourmous occasion.

Better quality highlights will be posted soon but share your opinion on this classic game below

Posted By: Grant Constable

28 Comments

  • tennesseean_87
    3:04 PM 09/10/2013

    Nigel is my favorite Ref. It's nice to see the Boks doing well at a style of play that's more profitable in terms of bonus points. The future looks bright!

  • stroudos
    11:28 AM 08/10/2013

    It's funny how usually you can tell how good a ref's performance was by how little you noticed him. It seems Nigel Owens had such a good game that he was conspicuously inconspicuous.

  • 12:01 AM 08/10/2013

    Best game of 2013?

  • uhtiger
    10:12 PM 07/10/2013

    Letting Le Roux's try go ahead was his only real let down during the game. Other than that i thought he let the game go nicely.

  • 6:47 PM 07/10/2013

    Best advert for rugby I've seen in some time. Nigel Owens had a blinder. Poor guy was puffing pretty damned hard in that second half.

    I was cursing Barret's name at one point for missing De Villiers and letting in what looked like a soft try. But then I had to eat my words as moments later he scored his own. Then again later that unbelievable try saving tackle in the corner!

    What a stupid display that was by Franks with the loose swinging arm. It didn't look menacing but definitely unnecessary.

    But enough of the negatives this was an amazing game. Pure excitement. Can't wait till next years matches against SA they have lots of new young talent, a good coach and are on the up.

    What a contest!

  • stroudos
    3:11 PM 07/10/2013

    Ah yes, hadn't thought of that. @Mr Dump, if you plan to post the full match here please go ahead and delete my post below, (not implying you need my permission of course!).

  • stroudos
    3:09 PM 07/10/2013

    TTrugbyvids on YouTube.

    It is well worth watching the full game when you get the chance.

  • asdfero
    2:33 PM 07/10/2013

    Best international test of the year? Hands down.

    Kept me at the edge of my seat from the first minute! Incredible match.

    Props to Nigel Owen for being an AMAZING ref

  • colombes
    2:14 PM 07/10/2013

    2 best in-form teams of the moment
    i alaready knew the speed of barrett and smith,
    i discovered the pace of young boks leroux and basson

    november "rainy" tests vs england, france and wales will give another idea of their polyvalence.

  • eddie-g
    1:57 PM 07/10/2013

    Great game, all involved - including the referee - did our sport proud.

    NZ are the best team in the world, no questions about it, they always seem to have something extra up their sleeve. But it was the second Messam try, just before half-time, that was the decisive moment. It felt like SA had too much to do after that point.

    But what a game, 80 minutes of play probably reduces to what, 60 minutes of highlights? Awesome stuff.

  • matt
    12:06 PM 07/10/2013

    It is really nice not having any 'yer but if the ref had/hadn't...' discussions.

  • 11:39 AM 07/10/2013

    yes it's fine...DanKnapp agrees with you :D

  • eggman
    10:05 AM 07/10/2013

    Just wait a few days after the game and usually someone posts the full game on youtube. Just search for South Africa vs All blacks 2013 full or something along those lines and you should find it. Sometimes rugbydump also posts full match replays.

  • danknapp
    8:36 AM 07/10/2013

    I agreed with you, don't worry.

  • stroudos
    6:55 AM 07/10/2013

    "H. second try it was a forward pass"

    Incorrect. It was fine. And Owens checked it with the touchie and the TMO, so even that was not a "miss". Textbook game for the ref, (I'd say all the officials actually).

  • murina
    2:26 AM 07/10/2013

    Though I agree with most of the comments, I thought it pointless to add another "well done, good game" comment. This is the place for comments, I did so about a great battle of centres....I'd be fascinated by what you think a "necessary comment" would be.

    Ah well, good game!

  • stubby
    1:46 AM 07/10/2013

    Great try saving tackle at the end.

  • jeri
    12:31 AM 07/10/2013

    Well to be fair, Murina said "made to look ordinary" and frankly de Villier's performance in that game would make a lot of centres in the world look ordinary

  • danknapp
    11:12 PM 06/10/2013

    Guest's comment two posts down is a response to this. I didn't realise at the time, but followed the link anyway. Good link.

  • mastersa
    6:40 PM 06/10/2013

    This was the end this championship deserved. Messam, Reed, de Villiers and Habana. Hats off to you guys. A great game by all including Nigel Owens.

  • reality
    6:27 PM 06/10/2013

    Being a New Zealand rugby commentator must be such an unfulfilling life. They're just constantly presented with amazing rugby and superhuman feats of skill and strength. Reality outside of match-time must be such a let-down in comparison.

  • murina
    3:45 PM 06/10/2013

    Nonu was made to look 2 dimensional and highly ordinary by De Villiers. I've always thought he was over-rated but with great players around him (especially Smith) he is made to look impressive. De Villiers' performance was huge and the way he actively took on Nonu on both attack and defence made the difference between them even more stark.

    Great game, deserved victory for AB's but hats off to the Springboks and De Villiers for showing some real classy rugby in response.

  • kadova
    3:44 PM 06/10/2013

    Great match from both sides and from the referee.
    Keep a thought for my country who's going to meet them both in november....lol !

  • facepalm
    2:09 PM 06/10/2013

    What a player Beauden Barrett is. The tactical nous to run straight though a wall of springboks, and the tenacity to make one of the greatest try saving tackles of all time. Awesome performance.

    The same goes to Willie Le Roux. For me he's been South Africa's most exciting player so far in the championship. He may not be as physically imposing as someone like Savea but you still see defences bricking themselves every time he's on the ball.

  • i_bleed_green_and_gold
    1:36 PM 06/10/2013

    Great game. Wish we were more clinical in defence but an epic game... great job All Blacks. You beat is fair and square. Capitalized on mistakes and good field possition.

  • jeri
    3:26 AM 06/10/2013

    This is the game that should've happened in their first encounter, shows you how a different referee can actually lift the quality of the game. The pace of the game was phenomenal, even Nigel Owens had to be attended to by the medic

    Congrats All Blacks

  • beast4president
    10:18 PM 05/10/2013

    Great Game. NZ are awesome but I am so impressed by the progress of the Boks. We are taking it to them with such confidence. Well done NZ, we'll catch you soon :)

  • teamdave
    9:19 PM 05/10/2013

    Simply an awesome game. Hats off to the boks for playing expansively. de Villiers was amazing and had Nonu in his pocket.

    Ben Smith had one of the greatest games ever by a human being but was still eclipsed by Kieran Read who has moved to superhuman levels of rugby skill.

    It was an amazing game and the highlights package will be immense.

    Ps. Say it quietly, but the ref was great too.

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