In the tightest of matches, South Africa beat New Zealand by 18–12 in a Rugby Championship in Cape Town on Saturday afternoon. After a scrappy first half, which saw yellow cards for both South Africa (Jasper Wiese) and New Zealand (Sevu Reece) the hosts trailed 9–3 at half-time. 

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi scored the first try of the match 10 minutes into the second half, shortly after Eben Etzebeth had been stopped just short of the New Zealand line.  Handre Pollard converted and the Springboks were suddenly in front by just one point.

‘Feinberg-Mngomezulu replaced Pollard’

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu replaced Pollard and landed a long-range penalty before Damien McKenzie kicked his fourth penalty to make it 13-12.

The All Blacks then had two penalty kick attempts to regain the lead in the last quarter while Springbok fullback Willie le Roux was in the sin bin, but McKenzie hit the post in the first one and missed from just 35 meters out for the second in the 72nd minute.

A bad day turned into a worse one when All Black prop Tyrel Lomax got a yellow card for impending Cheslin Kolbe as the winger ran past him.  Seconds later, Malcolm Marx scored the Boks’ second try with five minutes to go.  Feinberg-Mngomezulu couldn’t convert, but it didn’t matter – the writing was on the wall. 

Malcolm Marx scored the second try. Photo: X

A fourth straight win over the All Blacks sees the Springboks set a new streak against their rivals in the professional era, while also returning the Freedom Cup to South Africa for the first time since 2009.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger dg