South Africa smashed New Zealand 26-10 in the opening 2022 Rugby Championship Test at Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit.
Kurt-lee Arendse and Willie Le Roux scored in either half as the Springboks battered the All Blacks, consigning the tourists to a third Test defeat in a row.
South Africa led from start to finish as their forwards dismantled a light-weight New Zealand pack as Jacques Nienaber’s men powered to victory over the Springboks’ old foe.
Nienaber’s side’s 16-point win is the biggest winning margin for South Africa since the Boks beat the Kiwis 17-0 at Kings Park in 1928.
Malcolm Marx starred for South Africa after an inspirational display in the hooker’s 50th appearance for the World Champions.
Marx went to town at the breakdown, winning four turnovers, three of them penalties.
The 28-year-old hooker is a hybrid forward, playing like an openside at the rucks and a back-rower with the ball in hand.
He was by far, the best player in a game full of exceptional South African performances. The Player of the Match made 24 metres from eight carries, beating one defender.
His lineout throwing was exceptional, losing only one. He also made four tackles
Arendse, playing his second Test, had a monster day on the wing. He scored a well-worked try, but it was the winger’s assertive display under the high ball and on defence that stood out.
The 26-year-old, however, ended his night on a stretcher after being red carded for dangerously taking out Beauden Barrett in the air – he will miss next week’s 2nd Test.
Handré Pollard was flawless from the tee, kicking three penalties, two conversions and a drop-goal (16 pts).
Pollard’s kicking out of hand was pin-point, as was Jaden Hendrikse, who came on after 43 seconds for the injured Faf de Klerk, who also left on a cart.
Jordie Barrett kicked a lone penalty and Shannon Frizell scored late as New Zealand suffered an ignominious defeat in the Republic. Richie Mo’unga added a meaningless conversion as the Boks bulldozed the Kiwis.
Ian Foster’s dreadful season continues as the losses mount.
The pressure will mount for beleaguered coach Ian Foster, whose men began where they left off against Ireland.
This damning performance will heap pressure on the coach, who has already gotten rid of two of his assistants following Ireland’s historic – and emphatic – series win in the Land of the Long White Cloud in July.
The three-time World champions have now lost five of their last six Tests. This damning display is Foster’s third in a row, and the first time the All Blacks have lost three on the trot since 1998.
The knives are sharpening.
South Africa took a deserved 10-3 lead into the sheds after a dominant first-half display.
Arendse combined with Lukhanyo Am to open the scoring in the eighth minute after Beauden Barrett dropped Pollard’s bomb.
The Springbok pack dismantled the Kiwis’ scrum, winning two penalties and a free kick. Pollard struck a 22nd-minute goal after some good work at the breakdown outside the visitor’s 22.
Frans Malherbe and Trevor Nyakane had a field day as Angus Ta’avao and George Bower buckled.
New Zealand struggled to get any possession or territory as the Boks smothered every attack.
A mistake by Damian de Allende on the Boks’ feed allowed Jordie Barrett to put his side on the board four minutes before the break.
Pollard reopened his side’s two-score lead with a 51st-minute penalty as the Boks continued to squeeze.
Another mistake from a contested high ball saw Pollard land his third-ever drop-kick against the All Blacks. It gave the Springboks a commanding 16-3 advantage on the hour mark.
The 28-year-old playmaker landed a third goal with seven minutes remaining to seal the deal.
Arendse saw red before the visitors finally struck while they had the numerical advantage.
The All Blacks managed to find a score when Frizell dotted down at the death, but it was no consolation.
Instead, another handling mistake saw Le Roux claim his fourth try versus New Zealand to put the bruised Kiwis out of their misery.
A horrible start sees Faf de Klerk leave the field, but Boks keep composure to lead at the half.
The game got off to a horrible start when De Klerk got knocked out in the opening passage of play.
De Klerk, back in the starting lineup, left the field after 43 seconds on a cart after his head crashed into Caleb Clarke’s knee in an attempt to bring down the winger.
Bok pack dominated every facet of the game, especially the set-pieces and basics, winning two penalties and a free kick.
The All Blacks leaked penalties while losing the aerial battle and the breakdown. Marx, playing his 50th Test match, was destructive with his ball-carrying and a menace at the ruck.
Sam Cane and Akira Ioane had no answer to Marx, who won two important turnover penalties inside his half.
Despite De Klerk leaving the field, Pollard and substitute scrumhalf Hendrikse’s pin-point kicks put Foster’s men on the back foot.
The hosts’ rush defence wreaked havoc, the visitors, under immense pressure throughout, threw away possession rather than take contact, gifting the Boks good field position and possession.
Beauden Barrett dropped Pollard’s contested bomb into Am’s hands.
Am carried before swivelling in the tackle to release Arendes down the righthand touchline for the winger’s maiden Test try.
Pollard converted from near the sideline.
The All Blacks’ first attack came 27 minutes into the contest after a weaving Beauden Barrett run.
Barrett danced from his goal line to the halfway line, kick-starting a winding Kiwis’ counter-attack; however, the ball was passed forward for a Bok scrum.
The visitors had been on the ropes as the Boks’ high intense ball-carrying kept the Kiwis pinned inside their 22.
Ta’avao collapsed the scrum, following in fellow front rower Bower’s shoes.
The loosehead conceded a penalty and free kick earlier in the game as well as a free kick in the second stanza.
Foster’s men clawed their way back into the game after two quick penalties – conceded by Jasper Wiese and De Allende – which allowed Jordie Barrett to make it 10-3 late in the half.
Nienaber’s chargers began the second stanza as they did the first – dominating territory and possession as well as the breakdown, while Pollard put the boot in.
Tyrel Lomax entered the game and collapsed a scrum in the centre-field. Pollard made no mistake.
Marx – twice more – and Kwagga Smith both won turnovers as the hosts kept the tourists at bay.
Marx left the field before the hour to a standing ovation for one of the great Springbok games in this storied rivalry.
Another turnover led to Pollard slotting a 58th-minute drop-goal to make it 16-3.
The errors continued to mount for the All Blacks, and the needless penalties and handling mistakes mounted.
With seven to play, Pollard gave his side a winning three-score lead when he punished more excellent work at the breakdown, this time from Am.
Another lengthy delay stopped the game. Arendse got sent off for taking out Beauden Barrett in the air.
Both players went down, but Barrett eventually got to his feet, Arendse not, leaving on the cart.
A break from Clarke saw Damian Willemse make one of the great recovering tackles near the goal-line.
However, the All Blacks flooded the breakdown and Frizell dotted down near the flag.
Mo’unga added the touchline extras, but the Boks were not done.
More handling mistakes, from a blunted, listless attack saw Cane’s loose pass dropped by Frizell.
Le Roux, not even on the field for a minute, toed the ball towards the whitewash, gathered and flopped next to the poles.
The fullback ran to the crowd, which sparked scenes of jubilation from both players and the frenzied home support.
It’s party time for the victors, pressure cooker time for the vanquished.
Final Score: South Africa 26 (10) New Zealand 10 (3)
Scorers
South Africa
Tries – Arendse, Le Roux
Pen – Pollard (3)
Con – Pollard (2)
Drop – Pollard
Cards – Arendse (Red, 75′)
New Zealand
Tries – Frizell
Pen – J. Barrett
Con – Mo’unga
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Angus Gardner (AUS)
Assistant Ref 1: Luke Pearce (ENG)
Assistant Ref 2: Christophe Ridley (ENG)
TMO: Brett Cronan (AUS)
Teams
South Africa
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-lee Arendse, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Francois De Klerk , 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Trevor Nyakane
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Albertus Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Willie le Roux
New Zealand
15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 David Havili, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Samson Taukei’aho, 1 George Bower
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ethan de Groot, 18 Tyrel Lomax, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Shannon Frizell, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 Quinn Tupaea
