The Boks now take a 2-1 lead into the fourth Test in the USA this coming weekend.
The Springboks produced a strong second-half performance to win the third Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test in Soweto. Picture: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi thanked South Africans for their support after the Boks beat the All Blacks 29-24 in Soweto on Saturday to earn an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series.
The Boks turned in a much better second-half performance to turn a 12-all score at half-time into a 29-17 for the final 10 minutes, before the visitors scored a consolation try.
Kolisi said the performance at FNB Stadium on Saturday was much improved after the All Blacks won the first Test 33-16 at Ellis Park and the Springboks bounced back with a 33-26 victory in Cape Town.
This was the final Test the Springboks will play in South Africa this year, heading to Baltimore, USA, for the final game in the series before a one-off Test in Australia and then the Nations Championship in Europe.
‘A lot better’
“We wanted to say thank you for supporting us the whole year. It hasn’t always gone our way,” Kolisi said.
“The first couple of minutes were really tough but we could hear you and feel you behind us. Thank you for inspiring us every day.
“A great game from the All Blacks, they pushed us to the limits today. They came at us in the first 25 minutes. Our lungs were pumping hard.
“We did so well to score more points and we fought back. The way we finished at the end was a lot better than we did the last two weeks.”
The Springbok captain said coach Rassie Erasmus regularly reminds the team that they represent the whole country. So it was good to be able to lift the mood of the public with that win.
Player of the match, wing Ethan Hooker spoke in the same vein: “New Zealand are such a quality team you have to give it everything for 80 minutes. We have so much respect for them as a nation, and we know when we come onto this pitch we have to give it our all.
“It was one of those games where I was fortunate, and the ball came my way. The flow of the game happens that way sometimes.
“As a team, we talk about giving it all for South Africa, our people and our families. At the end of the game, if I feel like I do now I know I have done my job.”
All Blacks thank Springboks and SA public
Luke Jacobson stood in as captain after Ardie Savea was injured in first half, but not before he scored two tries.
He said the All Blacks started well through those tries to take a 12-5 lead.
“But scrum-wise they got to play their game. We probably allowed them to play their game a little bit,” Jacobson said, ruing a maul try that the Boks took from the lineout all the way to under the All Blacks posts.
“It’s been awesome to play over here, in a country that really loves rugby…. The tension in the crowd, the footie itself, going against the best in the world. It’s awesome to be a part of.”
