Ellis Park in Johannesburg was the venue, but it could have been the Stade de France in Paris in the World Cup final last October. It was that intense, that electric and that hypnotic.
Only this was a better game between rugby’s two greatest nations — South Africa and New Zealand. The 107th Test was as close as the first one.
Before kick-off, just 0.2 of a point separated the two nations in eight contests at Ellis Park. Both teams had won four contests in eight, but the All Blacks led 31-30.8 on average.
The World Cup final in 2023 ended with a one-point win for the Springboks (12-11).
Historically, the Boks had won 26, the All Blacks 25 and one was drawn for matches in the Republic.
It was always going to be a ripper at Ellis Park. It did not disappoint.
The opening 40 was as glorious as it gets in Test rugby. The All Blacks, for all their struggles at home against England and indifference against the Pumas in two Tests at home, had come to play.
The Boks, with the famed Bok bomb squad, were always going to finish the stronger, which makes the All Blacks decision not to take the three points as absurd as the Test was awesome
Ellis Park used to haunt the Kiwis pre-isolation, but in the last 20 years they find magic in the mystique of the black jersey at this venue. They produce some of their best performances at altitude and at Ellis Park.
Ditto the Springboks v the All Blacks. This is a rivalry without comparison in rugby. — and it does not get better than the Boks versus All Blacks at Ellis Park.
For those familiar with last year’s World Cup final, Pieter-Steph du Toit made 27 tackles and most of them were on Jordie Barrett. Almost a year in between, tackles did not dull the presence of these two warriors.
The All Blacks kicked off and Du Toit rose to the clouds and gathered. From the resulting kick, Barrett got smashed in the tackle. We were back in Paris, only this time the All Blacks finished the first half with 15 players, and former captain Sam Cane heroically fronting every collision.
Du Toit would be the player of the match, as he was in the World Cup final. Collectively, both squads could get a medal.
The opening 15 minutes was rugby theatre and a testament to the very best of both nations. The All Blacks had most of the ball and attacked brilliantly. The Boks, forced to defend, tackled with desire and delight.
Damian de Allende is considered the best inside centre in the game, at least by me and many I speak to. Everyone raves about his attack and his ball carries, but at Ellis Park it was his cross cover defence, his one-on-one tackling and his jackal presence over the ball that made him the most dominant individual at half-time.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has enjoyed more media mileage in six Tests than De Allende in six years, but yesterday at Ellis Park, the kid and adult combined to give parental control to the Test match in the final quarter.
Both were big, if not without fault, but both played the significant moments as big players do. De Allende’s early try-saving tackle on Savea and Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s 60m penalty just before half-time, were two obvious examples of their class.
Don’t dismiss how close this was. It was a one-score game. The All Blacks were outstanding. This was their best performance of the season. They led 12-11 at half-time and 27-17 on the hour. But they will rue not kicking a “gimme” penalty on 63 minutes to extend the lead to 30-17.
They kicked for the corner and got turned over. Test rugby is about points. If you have three, at 27-17, take it. Lesson learned for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. This is not Super Rugby, mate.
The Boks, with the famed Bok bomb squad, were always going to finish the stronger, 31-27, which makes the All Blacks decision not to take the three points as absurd as the Test was awesome.
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