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Sun 26 Jul 2015 | 09:25
All Blacks score late to deny Springboks in another Ellis Park classic

38
Comments

Richie McCaw scored the winning try in his last ever international on South African soil, as New Zealand came from behind to claim a 27-20 victory in another classic, dramatic Test between the two great rivals at Ellis Park. 

As with a week ago against Australia, the Springboks led for most of the match and looked on track for victory, but couldn't close out the game, thus ruining their chances of a Rugby Championship title. 

They had the All Blacks on the ropes for a large portion of the match though, with Kiwi coach Steve Hansen commenting that he felt his side was lucky to have things square at 10-10 at the break. "We were very lucky to not be down 30 points, that's how well the Boks played," he said.

Debutant flyhalf Lima Sopoaga kicked three conversions and two penalties as Ben Smith and Dane Coles scored excellent tries for the visitors, before captain McCaw stepped up late in the game with a brilliant lineout variation. When asked about if they'd practiced it a lot during the week, McCaw confirmed it.

"We did. We actually had a debate whether it would be No 9 or myself. So I had to pull rank and say I will take that slot, so I was pretty happy it worked," McCaw said.

The home side have plenty to be positive about, with youngsters Jesse Kriel and Damian Da Allende both having top quality games, while Kriel scored his second try in two Tests, and acted as provider for Willie Le Roux's well taken try.

Injuries and replacements again proved problematic though, disrupting the flow of their game, while for New Zealand their players came on and slotted into the tempo of the match instantly, giving them the edge in the final ten, even after losing Sam Whitelock to the sinbin. 

With senior players set to return and talented youngsters having been blooded, this campaign is not all doom and gloom for the Springboks, who were again led valiantly by inspirational Schalk Burger, who played at number eight in the absence of Duane Vermeulen.

"We are doing something right because we are putting teams under pressure," said the stand in South African captain. "We created a lot of opportunities, but we couldn't put them away."

The highlights are down currently but you can view the full match on page two of this post, and reaction from the All Blacks below. Highlights will replace this soon if possible

Posted By: Grant Constable

38 Comments

  • sportbarry
    8:21 AM 30/07/2015

    They are allowed to join as soon as the ball leaves the hookers hands. Question is a half back (receiver) has to back 2 metres at the time the throw was made, was he. Sure have a trick play but you have to follow the rules

  • 2:52 PM 29/07/2015

    I guess i got mixed up with Naholo who broke a contract with a French club to stay in nz. But France or Ireland it is still almost 20,000km from nz where he was born.

  • 2:26 PM 29/07/2015

    Specific article on changes to French immigration laws to enable young men, including school age boys to play in France.

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10874587

    Young South African using YouTube to attract English scouts. Short article, 2 yrs old.

    http://www.therugbysite.com/blog/news-opinions/5-future-stars-currently-playing-in-the-lower-leagues

    Web site for a professional scout looking to secure youngsters for all over the world. This was very scary, definitely after school kids for overseas ( including France amongst many others). If there was no demand he would be out of business

    http://www.inventus.co.nz/about/

    More of the same offers to scout for rugby players at "high school, university or professional" levels

    http://www.smwwscout.com/sports/education/rugby

  • 2:24 PM 29/07/2015

    Don't know what happened there i had several pages to cut and paste but it only worked for one and that one falsely advertised it's content. So bear with me I will try again ifound more scarier pages. Will add to a new reply i don't trust the cut and paste function

  • 2:24 PM 29/07/2015

    Don't know what happened there i had several pages to cut and paste but it only worked for one and that one falsely advertised it's content. So bear with me I will try again ifound more scarier pages. Will add to a new reply i don't trust the cut and paste function

  • 12:57 PM 29/07/2015

    My favourite Northern Hemisphere sports and rugby site is "the42. ie " sports site from "the journal.ie". It is an Irish publication and is the most comprehensive rugby site I have found outside of dedicated rugby sites whch it is often better than.

  • 12:48 PM 29/07/2015

    Agree. Stephen Jones is universally despised here. I have mainly read his articles on S. Hemisphere and nz rugby. I thought he was pro english and anti-welsh which i found strange but i have not read all his stuff. He appears to be the cheerleader of the NH as the best rugby, anti haka, anti SH rugby in general(called super rugby ping pong rugby with no defence 1998?) and very anti AB rugby.

    As stated, for years he has called for the haka to be dispensed with, but when the Welsh refused to let them perform the haka in 2006 he called it an insult to welsh rugby when it was done in the changing room. Cant make up his mind. Wales lost 10-45.

    I stopped reading him because he was like a troll and very predictable. "English rugby is the best and SH rugby is crap partcularily the ABs." He called the

  • jimmynee
    12:49 PM 28/07/2015

    Interesting insight of how the actions of the 2 captains influenced a key moment of the game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkIiH4bCshc

  • colombes
    12:49 PM 28/07/2015

    As long as i understand your point, i didn't see any information from top14 clubs recruiting nz teenagers... Are you sure of that?
    Toulon, Racing and others are generally more interested by SH famous "veterans" to increase tickets selling, than young talented anonymes.
    In both cases, it would be bad for young frenchmen and kiwis.

    And by the way, Piutau will go in Ulster, not in France.

  • stroudos
    11:21 AM 28/07/2015

    Stephen Jones is a total dickhead. And he's Welsh, and in his writing, he takes a vehemently anti-English view. He generally spins everything he can to make England look bad, arrogant, cocky etc.

  • 8:37 AM 28/07/2015

    I never know quite what to make of the fuss over the haka, it seams misplaced to me like the constant claim that refs favour the AB'S. NZ is way too poor to be able to buy almost all the international refs for the last few decades.

    Back to the haka why don't ppl get upset by the Fijian, Samoan orTongan challenges? Because they don't win as often?

    And 2 things to consider about the haka from an nz perspective. First we have the most pathetic national anthem there is and most kiwis would prefer the haka to it, u guys can sing your anthems and we will drop ours in favour of the haka. "God Defend NZ" because we r so small, puny and weak....

    And second NZ has 2 official anthems, the other being God Save the Queen in fact God Defend NZ only became officially our 2nd anthem in 1977.

    As for booing u can't stop it for kickers or the haka no point in trying it would just make it worse. But hats of to the Irish the most polite of rugby fans who insist on silence for kickers.

    Personally i think the whole issue of the haka has been blown out of all proportion by some members of the press.

  • 7:16 AM 28/07/2015

    http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11256462

    address didn't paste correctly

  • 7:14 AM 28/07/2015

    Sorry I heard this on a Radio Sport report so i can't substantiate it but I did find this aarticle...http://m.players Cleo.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11256462. There are more articles.

    Man of the match Charles Piutau is off the France next year which Is annoying since he is gong at the beginning of his career not the end and has not "given back" to the rugby union that trained him. And the NZRFU cannot match European cclubs for salaries let alone the National unions, an AB can get 2-3 times more playing for a European club.

    This is partcularily galling (excuse pun) when the AB's are constantly criticized for poaching Pacific Island players when in history less than 10 AB'S did not attend primary and secondary school in nz and less than 5 did not attend secondary school here.

  • 6:45 AM 28/07/2015

    I was fairly taken aback by your scorn. And maybe, not fairly, it reminded me of other stupid comments i have seen elsewhere.

    I was not rude to anyone here, iwas not rude about the Boks, i was not rude about SA at all. Maybe I should have not have poked fun at the English but as stated above i have experienced the scorn of the English along with many other non kiwis and it is far worse than my dig at them.

    And while i could write a book on all the damage done IMAO to our great game by that country i think i have said too much too soon. AND this is not what i want to be discussing, i am here for the rugby the truly "beautiful game."

    PS The English claiming to be world champions after beating the AB's: Stephen Jones, The Times, Nov 2002. And u may be right about thanking the fans but it appeared odd to do after loosing by 20

  • 6:03 AM 28/07/2015

    Fair point, but if you had read the howls of derision that could not even accept that a dangerous tackle had taken place you would understand my scorn on those making the claims that Cruden should just harden up (after having his head driven into the ground). And i must add that I am not angered that this was done to a kiwi player I abhor dangerous play done to anyone, rugby is not a game where causing injury should be a goal. But I digress.

    I attempted to join your discussion and had the door firmly slammed in my face over maybe an ill-considered comment but one that is true none the less. Have any of you been at Twickenham when the Boks have lost? Go and talk to any 6 Nations supporter about their experiences loosing there, i have and their experiences are the same.

    But enough of this irrelevance. This is not what I initial posted here to discuss. As i mentioned i was after thought provoking debate.

  • breakaway
    5:24 AM 28/07/2015

    "I thought he got about as much of the line as Kuridrani got last week."

    Can't really go along with that Eddie. Even the low-level shot seemed to show the line was not broken. The other angle I've seen confirms that the ball had not reached the line at all. If a try had been awarded to NZ on that evidence, I have no doubt that sites like this would be in an uproar, and rightly so.
    In the Kuridrani case, the low shot showed the ball grazing the grass for a moment, which is all that's needed, and the overhead showed the ball was actually well over the line at the time. That's quite a different scenario. The only problem I had with the Kuridrani was whether the extra movement took too long, but it's hard to not give it when you see it in real time.

  • tomthusiasm
    3:07 AM 28/07/2015

    You're probably right, I use to get the shits with certain crowds booing during the haka or whatever but I realise that at the end of the day it's just fans being passionate. Kiwi and Aussie crowds boo the kickers, Argies deploy lasers whatever.

    At the end of the match the captain of the opposing team talks and you realise that they're nice, down to earth guys and not cheats or whiners.

  • tomthusiasm
    2:29 AM 28/07/2015

    I agree, they compensate well when someone gets carded. Uncontested scrums were probably the factor on Saturday though.

  • stroudos
    12:34 AM 28/07/2015

    Well you weren't polite. So either try harder to be polite or expect an impolite response. ;)

    Unfortunate really, because I enjoyed the rest of your first comment; just the random dig at the end that got my goat!

    On your second comment, you're mistaken. They're not doing a victory lap, they're just acknowledging the fans for supporting them throughout a losing game. You should take it as a compliment that a team is happy at getting within 20 points of yours.

    After that 2012 win over the ABs, I don't remember any English person making such claims.

    Anyway, stick around, you'll like it here...

  • kadova
    11:57 PM 27/07/2015

    Do you know which French clubs are taking young NZ players to France ? And how can this be accepted by NZ rugby ?

  • trefor
    9:08 PM 27/07/2015

    Why were the Boks allowed to keep 15 players on the pitch throughout the rest of the game with uncontested scrums?
    Surely when they went uncontested and brought on the loose head they should have chosen a player to go off under the law 3.5 (n), or as it was a blood replacement, a player should have gone off after 15 minutes as the bleeding player never returned.

  • i_bleed_green_and_gold
    4:03 PM 27/07/2015

    That tuned down hill rather rapidly.
    anyway, each nations perception of each others fans or fanatics may be polluted by a few bad apples with the loudest voices. If you go to an SA website (i.e. sport24.co.za) you may read a lot of one sided comments but that is not to say that they are "Neanderthal" but rather that they watch the game with a bias which differs from yours. This site is more international which I really appreciate, You will find intelligent debate from an international consortium of posters. That being said, ending your first comment with " they are the worst winners in world rugby" is inciting a response from English fans who may not agree with your view.
    I prefer to only discuss what the players attitudes are in victory and defeat and although the all blacks have not lost very much since the 2011 WC, the attitude in defeat was stellar.

  • eddie-g
    2:52 PM 27/07/2015

    I wouldn't rule out any of England or Ireland, even Wales. The world cup knock-out games are one-offs, and strange things can happen. England's forwards can do a lot of damage, and Ireland may have the best flyhalf in world rugby. Can make all the difference in a one-off game.

  • eddie-g
    2:48 PM 27/07/2015

    Did I say loose-heads? Derp, I meant tight-heads.

  • eddie-g
    2:48 PM 27/07/2015

    The Habana theatrics are getting tiresome. Still a great player, but he's not winning fans.

    On the NZ fly-half question, I always recall the last world cup when Steve Donald cut short a fishing trip and spent a week getting ready for the final. I'm sure that experience focused NZ's planning for this world cup! (On Sopoaga, a great example of a bloke that his club stuck with and developed. The Highlanders had some lean years, during which Sopoaga had some pretty average games, but they stayed with him, and this year they got their pay-off.)

    I guess the pecking order now in NZ, with Cruden being injured, is Carter-Barrett-Sopoaga-Slade... though Slade covers several positions off the bench, so maybe is a better option for the WC squad.

  • eddie-g
    2:33 PM 27/07/2015

    There's been some chat about - (a) McCaw's position at the start, (b) when McCaw started moving; and (c) if NZ lifted before the ball was thrown in.

    As with most things in rugby, you can watch for 5 seconds and usually spot some technical rule-breach somewhere. But this passed the smell-test, any "breaches" were so marginal they made no difference.

    People hung up on the legalities around this try need to get a life. It would have been an extremely harsh call not to have awarded it.

  • eddie-g
    2:24 PM 27/07/2015

    That sucked. And not just the result, it was losing in a way that has become rather familiar. NZ scoring a late first-half try? Been there. NZ making a decisive score in the final 10 minutes? We've all been there.

    The missed opportunities earlier in the game were costly, and through my biased eyes, I was pretty disappointed at the Lood de Jager no-try call. I thought he got about as much of the line as Kuridrani got last week.

    The uncontested scrums were a big deal too - and very frustrating, because although technically both the loose-heads were off, Nyakane can play on both sides of the scrum. Plus SA had a man-advantage at the time, and were dominating the scrum...

    Anyway, there's also a sense that the rugby gods might have wanted to intervene, and have McCaw score on his last visit to Ellis Park. There's no bigger legend in the game, so I don't begrudge him his latest role.

    The wait now is on to see if our walking wounded are carrying some serious damage. Both loose-heads have injuries, and Jannie's knee could be really bad news; and Louw has a shoulder problem, which worst case could mean that none of Louw-Alberts-Vermuelen makes it to the world cup.

    The emergence however of De Allende and Kriel has been fantastic - quite astonishing to me that the coaching staff at the Bulls never put Kriel at 13, he's looks world class there.

  • 1:42 PM 27/07/2015

    And to think I was trying to be polite.

    I guess you have never been at Twickenham when the Boks have lost. I have been there usually with the AB's winning, when I have seen the English do a victory lap because they were not beat by 50 points only 20. Or on the rare ooccasion when the AB's lose and immediately the English claim they are the World Champs.

    But since we are not being polite anymore the most Neanderthal fans and comments I have ever read have been on the www.sport24.co.za site. Some of the justifications for Steyn's spear tackles were just mind numbingly obtuse and one eyed.

    I posted on this site looking for intelligent debate on rugby from a different perspective to mine. You learn nothing new if you only talk with ppl who agree with you. The first few post here were interesting and thought provoking. I hope they are not the exception and you are or i have wasted my time.

  • breakaway
    11:48 AM 27/07/2015

    The RD video is down at the moment, but it's up elsewhere. It's clear that McCaw is the required distance from the lineout; 2m is not far, just slightly more than his own height. And, according to law 19.9, the lineout begins as soon as the ball leaves the thrower's hand. I see no clear evidence that McCaw jumps the gun. I'm glad you're not a TMO, Steve.

  • jeri
    11:44 AM 27/07/2015

    de Allande was awesome, he was giving AB defenders a difficult day at the office for his whole time on the field.

    Also I am proposing the theory that yellow cards somehow help All Blacks win tight games.

    They got a yellow card in the 2013 2nd match against the boks

    They got a yellow card in one of the 2014 match against England

    They got a yelllow in that final match against Wallabies in 2014

    I'm seeing a pattern

  • reality
    11:22 AM 27/07/2015

    Jimmy, I don't think any NH (I don't know why it's a hemisphere thing considering the good teams are confined to Europe) will be a match for New Zealand, but England and Ireland have a fairly good record against SA, and I wouldn't discount France's chances either. SA even lost to Australia before the match here, so it's not like they're invincible.

  • stroudos
    10:08 AM 27/07/2015

    I reckon New Zealand fans, (I assume you're referring to fans, not players), run England a bloody close second for that worst winners award! Definitely got us beaten on ungracious losers, no doubt about that... ;)


  • 3:58 AM 27/07/2015

    Kia ora (greetings)

    Intereting points u all make on the game. I agree with all of them. I was amazed at how well your "inexperienced" mid field did. And Pollard is the real deal. As is Sopoaga which is hard for me to admit as a 20yr Hurricanes fan and a big fan of Barrett. And Sopoaga started out playing and living in Wellington.

    It appears that again the last 20 min of the game did not go the Boks way. Is hard to figure why. It looks like fitness but they have just finished the Super 15 competition.

    As for giving away our players we already do. Apparently the French are coming here and recruiting from secondary schools to reduce the age at which they can play for France.... bastards.

    And don't forget at the 2011 RWC it was our 5th string fly half who kicked the winning points in the final against France.

    Well I can't quite bring myself to wish SA good luck at the RWC but we must make sure that the English do not win, they are the worst winners in world rugby.

  • tomthusiasm
    2:19 AM 27/07/2015

    Kriel is a freak!

  • whiteafrican
    10:07 PM 26/07/2015

    Both designated SA tightheads left the field injured. The 4th official (I think - the replay isn't clear) decided that under Laws 3.5(g) & (h) (I think - it wasn't specified) uncontested scrums were the only option, as there was no designated tighthead left. Struck me as slightly odd, since Trevor Nyakane (the second sub) started at tighthead in superXV several times this season. But apparently Meyer said he thinks the rules were applied correctly, so them's the breaks, I guess.

  • stroudos
    9:19 PM 26/07/2015

    Love that lineout move. What a beauty. Good captaincy from McCaw, stepping up and taking responsibility.

    Sopoaga looks the real deal, based on these highlights and the little I've seen in Super Rugby. I think now is about the time that clause in New Zealand's rugby licence should be triggered, which states if they have more than three flyhalves who would easily be the starting 10 for another team they should have to donate one of them to another country.

    Final point for me - Habana should have better temperament than that, with all his experience. Yes, it is ******* annoying when someone traps you in a ruck like that, but first the petulant slapping (looked like a toddler destroying his jelly and ice cream mid-tantrum), then the diving in offside are not acceptable reactions for such a seasoned professional...

  • i_bleed_green_and_gold
    6:41 PM 26/07/2015

    It must be great being an all black supporter; (. Always fight till the end and thrilling rugby... as a bok fan I really do not know how we let them get those 3 opportunities to score. Was not even multiple phases. Should have put them away in the first half...lament missed opportunities.
    Some points.
    1) agree that midfield combo may be what we should take to wc but if jdv and serfontein are fit I think we will field them..
    2) pollard has his critics but when he is on the field there is always danger and he controls the back line in defense very well. The first try was through his Channel when he was off the field.
    3) our lock combo are immense on defense.
    4)du Plessis brothers have really stepped up after a complacent few months.
    5) our subs do not offer the impact that we need. Lacking in every department. Maybe when the incumbents come back this this starting lineup will make up the bench we will close out games.
    6) pienaar was actually quick and cleared the ruck quite well. Up until we went for the up and unders which Hendricks only once got right on the chase.
    7) uncontested scrums killed our momentum in those last 15min. Really annoyed by that given we had a numerical advantage on the 5m line.
    8) were were dominant at the breakdown with some awsome steals which is great.. but we have to hold onto the ball after a turnover.

    As for the all blacks, Subs were awsome. Fekitoa, whitelock, perinara.. all made an impact.
    Great game again. Pity we lacked the fortitude to end up on the right side of the result.
    Hopefully we meet at the world cup under better circumstances..
    Aus vs nz is now a winner take all which is great.

    Until next time AB's

  • jimmy23
    5:25 PM 26/07/2015

    You can almost guarantee this match up is going to be a real humdinger these days. Couple of thoughts

    1. Those pesky All Blacks ALWAYS find a way don't they? Unless if you're ahead by like 20 points like England were in 2012, you just can't afford to take your foot off the pedal for a split second or else SPLAT, you're done for.

    2. That midfield combo Kriel and Da Allende are already a handful, how scary will they be when they actually get some experience under their belt?

    3. In all honesty, which NH teams really stand a chance against these two in the WC?

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