New Zealand overcame a tough physical challenge to outscore hosts South Africa five tries to one and win the first Test 33-16 at Ellis Park on Saturday to go one-up in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
The All Blacks had been underdogs going into the first international of their eight-match tour, but took full advantage of the home side’s numerous handling errors and ill-discipline for a statement victory that ended a 12-match winning streak for the Springboks and will rock the confidence of the world champions.
Will Jordan extended his run as New Zealand’s record try scorer with two tries that bookended scores from Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland and Luke Jacobson. Ruben Love kicked over four conversions.
South Africa’s try came from Andre Esterhuizen, with three penalties and a conversion from Cheslin Kolbe.
An attritional contest was always on the cards and it proved a slugfest at times as South Africa looked to impose their physicality, but the All Blacks took them on toe-to-toe and emerged with a deserved win. It hands them a major psychological advantage with the next three Tests to follow on successive Saturdays.
“It meant everything,” two-try Jordan beamed. “Ellis Park, what an arena. It was a serious shift and the boys dug deep. They got a taste of what it is like and I’m proud of our group, it’s an awesome start to the series.
“Test footy is about absorbing pressure and turning yours into points. We withstood an Springbok onslaught, so we’re stoked. I just love being out here. I’m so proud of our team for this effort.”
The Springboks had the chance to take an early lead in the second minute with an easy-looking penalty but opted for a lineout instead, looking to maul over for an early statement try, but botched it. The next penalty, three minutes later, was then booted over for the opening points of the series.
When New Zealand had their first opportunity to level in the ninth minute, they also spurned easy points and opted to kick out for a lineout, from which a maul and snap pass out to the wing put Jordan over for the first try of the four-Test series.
Five minutes later, Bok replacement Esterhuizen bashed his way through a porous Kiwi defence and put South Africa back in front. But while the home side tried some extravagant passes in the backline, and were guilty of handling errors, the All Blacks probed with their own ability to run at the Springboks, and when Josh Moorby slipped two tackles and went over on the left wing, they had a second try in the 23rd minute.
Kolbe’s penalty before the break, after the South Africans began to dominate the scrums, made it 13-12 at halftime to the hosts, and he kicked over another as the Boks again forced a scrum infringement early in the second half. South Africa’s forwards then held the upper hand, but errors stymied their hopes of converting dominance into points, while the All Blacks refused to capitulate and were back ahead when giant lock Fabian Holland charged down a clearance from Grant Williams and went over in the 48th minute.
South Africa had won a series of easily kickable penalties to regain the lead but looked to scrum the resistance out of the All Blacks and were met by solid defence. The hosts were always vulnerable to the counter-attack, and when Damian McKenzie broke the line, it set up a scrum from which Luke Jacobson scored the Kiwis’ fourth try.
Jordan made sure of a 17-point difference as he went over near the end, for his 53rd international try. By that time South Africa had lost their discipline, after multiple turnovers, and finished down to 13 players with Marco van Staden and Cobus Reinach sent to the sin bin in the final 10 minutes.
“In hindsight there were two or three big moments where we let the game get away from us because New Zealand forced us into errors by being intense and sharp,” said home coach Rassie Erasmus.
The second Test is in Cape Town next Saturday.
Reuters
