New Zealand beat South Africa in Townsville

This is set to be the 100th Test played between New Zealand and South Africa; the All Blacks have logged 59 wins and four draws from their previous 99 encounters with the Springboks.

The All Blacks will seal another Rugby Championship title with a win or draw in Townsville, Queensland.

• South Africa boasts a 36% win rate against New Zealand in Tests, the highest of any team to have faced them and 10% higher than next-best ranked Australia (26%).
• The Springboks have won only one of their last 10 meetings with the All Blacks (D1, L8).
• New Zealand has won their last nine consecutive Tests heading into this fixture; the last time they enjoyed a longer winning streak was in October 2016 when they won an 18th consecutive Test by defeating Australia 37-10.
• South Africa comes into this fixture on the back of two straight defeats to tournament hosts Australia.
• The last time the Springboks lost more than two consecutive Tests was a four-game stretch from October to November in 2016 which began with a 57-15 loss to New Zealand.
• South Africa has won four of their six previous Tests in Australia against teams other than the Wallabies (L2); although, their last defeat in such a fixture came in November 2003 against New Zealand by a score of 29-9.
• New Zealand has scored seven tries after winning a turnover in The Rugby Championship; only twice since the 2017 campaign has any team scored more tries via this method (New Zealand 11 in 2017, New Zealand – 8 in 2019).
• South Africa has retained possession from 31 kicks in play in The Rugby Championship in 2021, 20 more than any other team in the competition (New Zealand – 11, Australia – 7, Argentina – 6).
• The Boks have a higher success rate at both the lineout (88%) and the scrum (96%) than any other team so far in 2021 The Rugby Championship.
• New Zealand quartet Jordie Barrett (9), Akira Ioane (8), David Havili (7), and Rieko Ioane (7) have beaten more defenders in their opponent’s half of the field in The Rugby Championship in 2021 than any other players in the competition.
• South Africa duo Lood De Jager (3) and Eben Etzebeth (2) are two of the three players to have stolen multiple lineouts in 2021 The Rugby Championship alongside Argentina’s Guido Petti (3).

BREAKING: All Blacks No. 8 Luke Jacobson was ruled out with a stomach bug. Skipper Ardie Savea moved to number eight, while Ethan Blackadder went to the openside. Hoskins Sotutu came onto the bench for the Kiwis.

Match detail

Ahead of this match, the bookmakers gave South Africa a 13-point start this match so they expected an All Black win by 13 points. 

We are waiting for the kickoff.

In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.

1.00: PEEEEP! Haka and anthems, done. We are underway in this historic 100th Test match between New Zealand and South Africa at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.

2.00: Both teams kicking a lot in the early stages as they search for territory.

3.00: TRY! Will Jordan scores his 12th Test try, first against the Boks. The Kiwis took a couple of quick throw-ins, generated momentum with pick-and-drives before Codie Taylor’s midfield break. Taylor drew Handre Pollard set up Jordan, who beat Willie Le Roux to score. 5-0

4.00: CONVERSION! Jordie Barrett adds the extras. 7-0

6.00: TRY! Sbu Nkosi takes advantage of a dropped Faf de Klerk’s box-kick to get his ninth Test try. George Bridge will not want to see that again, he had all the time in the world to make a mark, but he could not hang onto the ball. 7-5

7.00: MISS! Pollard cannot convert. 7-5

10.00: South Africa win a penalty when Duane Vermeulen gets over the ruck, the Boks win another penalty from the resulting lineout after Brodie Retallick changes his running line to obstruct.

11.00: PENALTY! Pollard makes no mistake this time. 7-8

12.00: Brodie Retallick is offside at the ruck, Pollard will take a long-range kick.

13.00: PENALTY! Pollard slots the 47-metre penalty. 7-11

16.00: South Africa concede two penalties in quick succession to allow Beauden Barrett to set up an attacking lineout on the opposition’s 5m.

18.00: Siya Kolisi wins a crucial turnover inside SA’s 22 to give his side some respite. A long break for an injury to Frans Malherbe allows the players some time to rest.

19.00: Joe Moody angles in and concedes a scrum-penalty for collapsing. Pollard boots the ball into AB territory.

21.00: New Zealand thieve South Africa’s ball, and clear to the halfway line.

23.00: Damian de Allende wins an important turnover after Scott Barrett’s midfield break, but the play is brought back for a knock-on in the build-up near the halfway line.

24.00: Moody is pinged for something at the scrum to give SA a free-kick; however, the Boks concede a penalty at the lineout.

26.00: Kwagga Smith wins an important turnover allowing the Boks to clear to halfway after Bridge drops the ball into touch.

29.00: New Zealand loses another turnover, but Pollard’s kick behind the defence rolls out over the dead-ball line; scrum to the All Blacks on their 10m.

31.00: PENALTY! Jordie Barrett, from in front, reduces the gap to one. 10-11

34.00: Beauden Barrett kicks a kickable penalty to the corner as the Kiwis look to turn the screw. Eben Etzebeth almost wins a turnover but instead drops the ball to give the Kiwis an attacking scrum inside the SA 22.

35.00: YELLOW CARD! Nkosi is off for a deliberate knockdown with the Kiwis attacking inside the Boks’ 22. 10-11

36.00: PENALTY! Barrett’s chip-shot is good. Strange the ABs did not go for it with the extra man. 13-11

39.00: NZ sack the maul, but SA goes wide before Pollard’s bomb is claimed by Jordie Barrett. Nienaber’s side will need to be careful because the All Blacks score 30% of their tries in the tournament in the last quarter, especially in the five minutes before and after the break.

41.00: Etzebeth wins the lineout steal, De Klerk clears the ball to the crowd, not allowing the Kiwis to take the quick throw. The Boks’ pack will have a chance to give the visitors a last attack.

43.00: A forward pass from Rettallick to Ethan Blackadder ends the half.

The halftime score was All Blacks 13 Springboks 11

41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Australia.

42.00: Mapimpi gives away a penalty which allows the Kiwis to set up an attack inside the Boks’ 22. Frans Malherbe does not roll away, so Barrett kicks to the corner.

44.00: Lood de Jager steals the ball, but somehow the ball gets back to the All Blacks, who attack the SA line. More poor handling by the ABs sees Nepo Laulala knock-on near the try line; Pollard cleared.

45.00: NZ goes short this time, but SA defends the maul, pushing the ABs out by the flag.

48.00: South Africa getting the better of All blacks in the lineout now, winning the ball, and penalties. Smith, however, gives away a penalty for a high tackle with the Boks under the NZ poles.

52.00: South Africa finding their feet, it’s the Kiwis who look jaded.

56.00: More mistakes by the All Blacks allow the Boks to counter-attack into the opposition’s half. SA goes wide, but cannot break through the black tide. Pollard calls for the tee after Rieko Ioane’s error at the ruck.

58.00: PENALTY! Pollard hits his third goal to put Boks back ahead. 13-14

61.00: PENALTY! Barrett slots his kick. 16-14

63.00: David Havili loses possession with his team in a good attacking position.

68.00: PENALTY! Pollard edges the Boks back in front. 16-17

71.00: SCRUM PENALTY! The Boks’ new front row wins another set-piece penalty to relieve pressure from inside their half.

74.00: A poor call by the officials sees the ABs attack into the Boks’ 22. this game is heating up!

78.00: PENALTY! Barrett slots the long-range kick to edge his side ahead. 19-17

81.00: A knock-on kills any chance of a famous Bok win.

FULL TIME

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The final score is New Zealand 19 (13) South Africa 17 (11)

Scorers

New Zealand
Tries – Jordan
Pen – J. Barrett (4)
Con – J. Barrett
Drop –
Cards –

South Africa
Tries – Nkosi
Pen – Pollard (4)
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Nkosi (Yellow, 35′)

Match Officials
Referee: Luke Pearce (ENG)
Assistant Ref 1: Jordan Way (AUS)
Assistant Ref 2: Reuben Keane (AUS)
TMO: Damon Murphy (AUS)

Teams

New Zealand

15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 David Havili, 11 George Bridge, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea (capt), 7 Ethan Blackadder 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Scott Barrett, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody

Replacements: 16 Saminsoni Taukei’aho, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Hoskins Sotutu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 Quinn Tupaea

South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Albertus  Smith, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Trevor Nyakane (50th Test)

Replacements:16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Francois Mostert, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn