The All Blacks were dealt a further blow when lock Sam Whitelock was sent to the sin bin after regular infringing.
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McCaw’s try came after the Springboks camped on the All Blacks’ line for ages, attacking the tryline repeatedly and being stopped each time. “I’m focused on the coming game and want to win”. I thought we might have the luck with a TMO call in the second half, but like last weekend, it went against us.
New Zealand reclaimed the lead late in the match, when captain Richie McCaw scored from a superb lineout move.
After Saturday they have home and away tests against Argentina before they travel to England where they are on a collision course with the All Blacks in the semi-finals of the World Cup. “We defended our goal-line like our life depended on it and to a man we stood up”. “So for us it is important to get a victory”. “We came within inches of beating both the Wallabies and All Blacks“, he added.
Assistant coach Ian Foster says Sopoaga should be happy with his debut and he’s now learnt how to control their game.
“It is the first time we’ve done it, but it is similar to another we’ve done before”, he said of a match-defining try in the 2011 World Cup Final against France.
The pair guided the Otago-based side to their maiden Super Rugby title this season and will be looking to cement their position as the first choice pairing to defend New Zealand’s trophy at the World Cup later in the year. New Zealand had only just prevented their line being breached for a second time when Sopoaga led a breakout and demonstrated excellent dexterity to pop a basketball-style pass to Ben Smith to level the scores.
Scorers: South Africa: Tries: Willie le Roux, Jesse Kriel. Handre Pollard converted to give the Springboks a 7-3 lead.
Both teams had cause for satisfaction after the first half, with the Springboks solid in the scrum, combative at the breakdowns and strong in defence.
New Zealand took the lone first-half line-out steal and the world champions always threatened with the ball in hand.
Kriel dived over near the posts in the 45th to raise South African hopes again with his second test try in two tests.
The fact that he was kept on for the entire 80 minutes meant the selectors were seriously testing him and he was able to close out the game, especially with the last kick that sealed the match.
It’s one of rugby’s great rivalries and playing this Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park makes it all the more exciting.
South Africa: W le Roux (P Lambie 62); JP Pietersen, J Kriel, D de Allende, B Habana; H Pollard, R Pienaar (C Reinach, 71); T Mtawarria (A Strauss, 69), B du Plessis, J Du Plessis (V Koch, 41 (T Nyakane, 61)), E Etzebeth, L de Jager (F van der Merwe, 59), H Brussow, F Louw (W Whiteley, 41), S Burger.
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Australia have opened their Rugby Championship league campaign in dramatic fashion after centre Tevita Kuridrani scored a last gasp try to overcome South Africa, 24-20 on Saturday.
