The Springboks seized control of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series with a four-try victory against the All Blacks at FNB Stadium today (September 5), reports SA Rugby Magazine.

South Africa and New Zealand went into half-time 12-12 after a fiercely contested opening 40 minutes that saw two yellow cards and a Bok demolition job at scrum time for a penalty try, as well as the loss of All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea and two-time World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe to injury.

A crowd of 85 976 at the Calabash then witnessed two tries and seven points from the boot of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the second half to secure a 29-24 triumph that also saw Siya Kolisi become the most successful Bok captain in history with 55 wins.

The result hands South Africa a 2-1 series lead and strengthens the Boks’ grip on the world No 1 ranking, with the Kiwis occupying second spot heading into next Saturday’s fourth and final Test in Baltimore.

The build-up had been dominated by a war of words – and a cancelled Airlink flyover – over scrum interpretations between Rassie Erasmus and Dave Rennie, sparked by their comments after last week’s Cape Town Test. 

Kolbe had shifted to fullback for the Boks and Kurt-Lee Arendse onto the wing after Damian Willemse’s hamstring injury, with Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw restored up front and Feinberg-Mngomezulu again wearing the No 10 jersey in Handré Pollard’s absence.

Rennie countered with three All Blacks changes of his own, bringing in forwards Asafo Aumua, Sam Darry and Peter Lakai, while Tupou Vaa’i earned his 50th Test cap in the second row.

It was a frenetic pace to the opening stanza from the New Zealanders, who seemed to be getting away with penalisable offences at the breakdown while forcing the hosts into a yeoman amount of tackles with their high-tempo play. 

Savea capitalised on it early, finishing off a lineout move in the 11th minute after Feinberg-Mngomezulu had been sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown, flyhalf Ruben Love converting for 7-0. 

Kolbe failed a head injury assessment and took no further part, Manie Libbok replacing him.

Arendse hit back in the corner off a well-timed Damian de Allende pass, though Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the extras. 

Savea struck again minutes later, pouncing on a loose ball for his second try, before coming off with a shoulder injury and loose forward Wallace Sititi taking his place.

Love was yellow-carded for cynical defending as the Boks camped on the All Blacks line, and the pressure told – a powerful scrum earned maximum points to level matters at the break.

Love missed with an early penalty attempt, before the prolific Will Jordan finished off Leroy Carter’s break to nose the visitors ahead. Love’s conversion drifted wide again.

Jesse Kriel brushed off Carter to hit straight back for Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s first conversion of the half and give the Boks the lead for the first time in the match.

Malcolm Marx then crashed over from a rumbling maul, Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting and later adding a penalty to stretch the advantage to 11 points.

Replacement Samisoni Taukei’aho’s late try, converted by No 15 Damian McKenzie, was mere consolation for the Kiwis.

SPRINGBOKS – Tries: Kurt-Lee Arendse, penalty try, Jesse Kriel, Malcolm Marx. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2). Penalty: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

ALL BLACKS – Tries: Ardie Savea (2), Will Jordan, Samisoni Taukei’aho. Conversions: Ruben Love, Damian McKenzie.

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