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08/29 13:13 CDT South Africa beat New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town to hand All
Blacks first loss of 2026
South Africa beat New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town to hand All Blacks first loss
of 2026
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) --- Desperate South Africa gave New Zealand its
first defeat of the year by 33-26 and evened their four-test series at 1-1 at
Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The world champion Springboks were determined to respond after they were
stunned in the first test in Johannesburg and they were over the whitewash in
just the second minute. They scored all three of their tries in the first half
to build a pressure-inducing 24-14 lead by halftime.
Returning skipper Siya Kolisi said they paid last week for not taking their
chances: "This week we did, and we also brought the fire."
Goalkicker Cheslin Kolbe converted the tries plus four penalties to keep his
side in control on the scoreboard. Kolbe was named the player of the match. He
has made all 11 of his shots at the posts in the series.
New Zealand scored more tries --- four --- but struggled against the rush
defense, in the breakdowns and lineouts.
The scrum was the decisive battleground in the first test in Johannesburg and
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus tried to fix that by swapping his entire front
rows at the last minute. Hooker Deon Fourie didn't have to wait to become the
oldest Springbok test player a month before his 40th birthday.
But New Zealand's scrum generally held firm.
It was the lineouts where the All Blacks malfunctioned at critical moments.
Three attacking throw-ins by the All Blacks were spoiled by Eben Etzebeth, who
made one steal. South Africa's first two tries were platformed by lineout mauls.
"South Africa were good tonight, really physical. They stopped a lot of our
momentum," New Zealand coach Dave Rennie told broadcaster SuperSport. "We're
confident we can bounce back."
The teams return to Johannesburg for the third test next Saturday at
87,000-seat Soccer City.
The All Blacks came into the match perfect under new coach Rennie after wins in
four tests and four matches against South African franchises, but they were set
back in Cape Town after just 102 seconds.
South Africa mauled a lineout for 15 meters into the New Zealand 22 and Fourie,
Jasper Wiese and Kolisi crashed up and center Jesse Kriel crashed over beside
the posts.
From a midfield lineout, quick hands by New Zealand released winger Will
Jordan, who slipped tackles by Kriel and Damian de Allende and put scrumhalf
Cam Roigard in.
An offside penalty was slotted by Kolbe, who also converted a try by de Allende
that began from another 15-meter lineout maul, and South Africa led 17-7.
New Zealand skipper Ardie Savea broke off the back of a lineout that led to
fullback Damian McKenzie angling untouched into the right corner and the gap
was back to three again after 30 minutes.
Kolbe made up for a shanked line kick when he chased a Sacha
Feinberg-Mngomezulu chip and forced a five-meter scrum in the 36th.
Erasmus immediately replaced Fourie and loosehead prop Gerhard Steenekamp with
Malcolm Marx, the 2025 world player of the year, and Ox Nch, playing his 50th
test. Quick pick-and-goes saw Kolisi bust through to help his side lead 24-14
into halftime.
After the break, New Zealand gave away penalties, including two turnovers by
Marx, and Kolbe kicked South Africa 30-14 ahead with 30 minutes to go.
It took New Zealand nearly 20 minutes to reply when winger Leroy Carter darted
in. Savea's 33rd test try and Love's extras gave New Zealand a sniff, boosted
by a yellow card to South Africa lock Lood de Jager.
But in the final attack after the fulltime hooter, Jordan was overturned by
South Africa's Cameron Hanekom.
___
See AP's full rugby coverage here
