New Zealand and South Africa drew 16-16 in an intriguing and dramatic Rugby Championship Test match at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Herschel Jantjies was yet again South Africa’s hero.
The scrumhalf came off the bench to score a crucial last-minute try as the Boks fought back to stun the All Blacks for the second year running.
Jantjies, playing in his second Test, was influential in the Boks 35-17 victory over Australia last weekend, and the 23-year-old weaved his magic again.
It was last chance saloon when South Africa attacked the right-hand touch-line.
Cheslin Kolbe kicked infield for Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jantjies.
The scrumhalf got to the ball before Aaron Smith, knocking the ball back into his shoulder and head before gathering to score.
Handrè Pollard tied the Test with an ice-cold conversion after the hooter to snatch a draw from jaws of defeat.
Rugby Championship Video Highlights: New Zealand versus South Africa, Westpac Stadium, Wellington
The 25-year-old flyhalf bagged 11 points in this tight affair, but he did miss an easy penalty, which proved costly.
It was a battle of attrition between these two great rivals, and they could not be separated, playing out only the fourth draw in this illustrious fixture.
Beauden Barrett, as is so often the case, influenced the game.
New Zealand withstood an intense South African first-half barrage before taking control.
Barrett set-up Jack Goodhue’s first-half try and kicked the conversion and a penalty as the World Champions took control.
Pollard kicked all of the Springboks’ points to keep them in the game.
Richie Mo’unga’s kicked two late penalties to extend the All Blacks’ advantage as the clock ran down.
South Africa lost their way after the break, conceding seven penalties to three as they let a golden opportunity slip.
New Zealand’s change of tactics, holding the ball and building pressure through possession, turned the game in their favour.
However, Jantjies’ juggling act with Aaron Smith with 45 seconds to play, saved the Boks from defeat and kept them top of the Rugby Championship table.
What this result means in the grand scheme of the two team’s opening 2019 Rugby World cup clash, is anyone’s guess.
South Africa dominate, but cannot make New Zealand pay or turn pressure into points
Rassie Erasmus’s side took a six-point lead in the opening 10 minutes through the boot of Pollard.
The Springboks started hot, forcing the All Blacks into several errors, charging down Richie Mo’unga twice inside four minutes, with their rush-defence.
The Kiwis were poor; they dropped passes, knocked on high balls and over-ran passes, and Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Du Toit and Steven Kitshoff contested the breakdown.
The New Zealand forwards, however, won two Springboks’ lineouts inside seven minutes, Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick doing the damage.
Beauden Barrett missed the chance to halve the deficit, pushing a 13th-minute penalty wide of the sticks.
Steve Hansen’s side continued where they left off against Argentina, leaking penalties with ill-discipline and ceding possession seven times inside half-an-hour.
The Springboks continue to kick away possession, going to the boot almost double the number of times as the Kiwis.
South Africa dominated territory (68%) and possession (64%). Referee Nic Berry twice spoke to Kieran Read about infringements inside his side’s 22, but still no yellow card.
Pollard missed a sitter on 27 minutes after Rieko Ioane strayed offside.
The Boks mixed up their attacks, using Kolbe and Damian de Allende at first receiver from set-pieces.
But the Springboks failed to make their dominance count, and the All Blacks struck.
Goodhue scored his third Test try from a counter-attack.
Duane Vermeulen’s knock-on near the All Blacks 22 after Eben Etzebeth won a lineout against the throw.
It was a sucker punch with less than two minutes before halftime.
The Pumas held the Kiwis scoreless in the second half last week, and it looked like the Boks would do the same. Then boom.
Sonny Bill Williams sent the ball to Beauden Barrett, who beat Makazole Mapimpi’s tackle, drew Willie Le Roux and sent Goodhue away.
Barrett’s conversion gave the Kiwis an undeserved halftime lead, but how many times do the men in black turn something into nothing when it matters?
Barrett’s conversion brought up 16,000 Test points for the All Blacks.
Hansen changes tactics for the second stanza
The All Blacks twice went eight phases inside the opening five minutes of the second half, retaining possession and not kicking the ball away.
Hansen’s men did most of the defending; it was now time to keep the ball.
TJ Perenara won his second penalty at the breakdown, allowing his side an attack inside the opposition’s 22.
Another penalty followed from the resulting lineout, and Barrett extended the lead.
Pollard was going to the boot every time a Boks’ attack petered out.
One kick led to the All blacks getting a lineout, which led to a scrum penalty in the 55th-minute.
Barrett missed the resulting penalty-goal, giving the visitors a reprieve; however, the penalties started to mount at the breakdown.
Injuries started to mount.
Faf De Klerk failed an HIA and Rettalick left with a shoulder injury.
Tendai Mtawarira and Trevor Nyakane, on for their first scrum, won the Boks a scrum-penalty.
Pollard made it a one-point game as the match entered the final quarter.
South Africa started to haemorrhage penalties as New Zealand turned the screw.
Mo’unga added two penalties in the final 15 minutes which looked to give the Kiwis the win, but Jantjies had other ideas.
Final Score: New Zealand 16 (7) South Africa 16 (6)
Scorers
New Zealand
Tries – Goodhue
Pen – B. Barrett, Mo’unga (2)
Con – B. Barrett
Drop –
Cards –
South Africa
Tries – H. Jantjies
Pen – Pollard (3)
Con – Pollard
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Nic Berry (RA)
Assistant Ref 1: Angus Gardner (RA
Assistant Ref 2: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)
Teams
New Zealand
15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Thomas Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 George Bridge.
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Albertus Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Rudolph Snyman, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Jesse Kriel.
