Springboks blow away Kiwis to keep Rugby Championship title defence alive

The Springboks showed on Saturday that they will not go quietly into the night in their defense of the Rugby Championship title.

Despite losing key players to injury in the first half, the Boks’ running rugby completely blew the All Blacks off the field as they stormed to a 43-10 victory in Wellington.

With the bonus-point win, South Africa secured the Freedom Cup for a second season in a row and jumped into second place on 10 points, one point behind Australia on the official log. One thing is certain after this match: the Boks’ attacking blueprint is the way forward. They rolled the dice with key changes this week, and it was an inexperienced backline that stepped up to the plate.

This was a crucial clash for South Africa. A defeat would likely have ended their hopes of back-to-back Rugby Championship titles. Instead, the manner of their performance showed a side brimming with belief.

From the opening kick-off, the tempo was fierce. South Africa started at pace, and New Zealand were caught cold. But some inaccuracies prevented an even bigger lead early on — Cheslin Kolbe knocked the ball on over the try line, and a few other chances went begging.

Kolbe, however, made up for it with a trademark intercept try reminiscent of his famous effort at the same venue in 2018. He plucked the ball out of a three-on-one defensive overlap and sprinted more than 50 metres to score the Boks’ first points. The speedster added a second try after the break before leaving the field injured.

New Zealand had struck first through debutant Leroy Carter, but despite dominating territory in the first half, the All Blacks failed to make it count. They led 10-7 at halftime, but their advantage quickly evaporated.

A scrum penalty after changes in the front row paved the way for Kolbe’s second score, and from there the Boks never looked back. South Africa’s defence scrambled superbly at 17-10 to hold their line, and when lock Ruan Nortjé stole a crucial lineout, utility back Damian Willemse burst through to score the try that broke the game open. Willemse’s raw emotion underlined how much it meant, and he deservedly claimed Player of the Match.

Replacement Kwagga Smith added another, before RG Snyman and André Esterhuizen powered over to complete a statement win.

Kolbe was outstanding before his injury, while Manie Libbok’s introduction gave the backline fresh spark and direction. His high kicks kept New Zealand under constant pressure. Canan Moodie and Ethan Hooker also shone throughout the 80 minutes.

This was the Boks at their attacking best — clinical, ruthless, and confident. The forwards, with eighth man Jasper Wiese and Nortjé at the forefront, laid the platform. The challenge now is to refine this blueprint and make it their default weapon going forward.

Points scorers

Springboks 43 (7): Tries: Cheslin Kolbe (2), Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Andre Esterhuizen. Conversions: Libbok (5). Penalty: Libbok. New Zealand 10 (10): Try: Leroy Carter. Conversion: Damian McKenzie. Penalty: McKenzie.