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All Blacks losing run goes on as Boks dominate RC opener

South Africa's Willie le Roux (L) reacts after scoring a try during the Rugby Championship international rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand at the Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela on August 6, 2022. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse scored his first international try but was then sent off as South Africa piled more misery on struggling New Zealand with a comfortable 26-10 victory in their Rugby Championship opener.

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The Springboks were more dominant at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday than the scoreline suggests.

They bossed the set-piece and breakdown, with hooker Malcolm Marx particularly devastating in his 50th test.

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Replacement back Willie le Roux also crossed for a try and fly-half Handre Pollard kicked 17 points for the home side.

It was South Africa’s biggest win over the All Blacks since 1928, despite finishing the game with 14 players after Arendse was sent off for a dangerous tackle in the air after 75 minutes.

New Zealand managed a late try through flanker Shannon Frizell, but it is a fifth defeat in their last six tests. The result will pile more pressure on head coach Ian Foster, especially as they never looked like winning.

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“The Springboks threw a hell of a lot at us, we did quite well to absorb it but it took a lot out of us. They kept applying pressure, especially at the breakdown and that disrupted a lot of our flow,” All Blacks captain Sam Cane said.

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“We’re bitterly disappointed, it really hurts. We must get better at the breakdown and the contestables (in the air). I can’t ask any more of the team in terms of the belief and the effort. It is just small margins at this level.”

New Zealand made too many unforced errors with stray passes and knock-ons from carries and will have to show a vast improvement ahead of the second Rugby Championship match-up between the two sides at Ellis Park in Johannesburg next Saturday.

The Boks crossed for the first try on eight minutes as Pollard kicked a high ball that was not collected by All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett and Lukanya Am sent Arendse away to dot down in the corner.

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New Zealand got their first points in the 36th minute, with their first scoring opportunity. Jordie Barrett land ed a penalty from in front and they will have been relieved to go into the break only 10-3 down.

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Pollard landed two more penalties and a drop-goal, but Arendse’s red card with five minutes remaining gave the visitors a chance.

They scored a try after a superb break from wing Caleb Clarke, playing his first test in two years, was finished by Frizell.

But the Boks had the last say as Le Roux crossed for an easy score after another loose All Blacks pass in their own 22 provided him the opportunity.

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“It was a grind, exactly what we wanted. We wanted to match them up front,” Bok captain Siya Kolisi said.

“We were good with the high balls, we kept it as structured as possible and we had the discipline to make the tackles.

“Malcolm (Marx) was brilliant, every time there was a ruck he seemed to come up with the ball. He has been a big player for Springbok rugby for some time.”

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Comments

4 Comments
G
Gerald 821 days ago

Cannot wait to hear from Ben Smith. Am sure that he will blame the Boks for something and have a pile of excuses why the ABs didn’t win.

S
Schneider 821 days ago

Decent game...But for a great game - you need 2 teams to pitch up though. Boks were totally dominant...but as expected left the door open and with about 12mins to go the All Blacks were still in with a shout.

The Red card ...gave the All Blacks a try that flattered to deceive... I Can not remember the last time before this year, when an All Blacks side lacked such penetration and lack of imagination.

Their forwards are not up to standard for a top 3 team...as a result the backline will naturally suffer...but regardless, that backline is a poor imitation of the great All Blacks sides of old...

The once invincible, ruthless, All Black machine is barely grunting... Truth be told its been coming..since the Lions Tours a few years back...that and constant muddling with the Super Rugby format, throw in the big money pull of Europe and the "kids these days just dont wana play rugby" excuse...

The world is a different world post-covid..... Great for the other unions but I do feel a bit of sadness seeing a once untouchable foe stuggling aimlessly and heading into games like lambs to the slaughter.

G
GrahamVF 821 days ago

Who was it who said watching South Africa play rugby sent him to sleep?

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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