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De Allende sent off as All Blacks edge Newlands thriller
Damian de Allende was shown a late red card as New Zealand beat a spirited South Africa side 25-24 in an enthralling encounter at Newlands to finish the Rugby Championship with a 100 per cent record.
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The world champions consigned the Springboks to a humiliating record 57-0 hammering at North Harbour Stadium last month, but it was a very different story in an almighty tussle in Cape Town three weeks later.
South Africa threw everything at the All Blacks and led with 10 minutes remaining, but Damian McKenzie went over to add to a controversial Ryan Crotty try and a Rieko Ioane breakaway score before De Allende was dismissed after being deemed to have elbowed Lima Sopoaga in the head.
The outstanding Malcolm Marx scored South Africa’s third try with just a minute to play after Ross Cronje and Jean-Luc du Preez also dotted down in the second half, but their three-year wait for a win over New Zealand goes on.
New Zealand lost Beauden Barrett, who went off for a head injury assessment and did not return, and Nehe Milner-Skudder (shoulder) to injury in the first half but the champions just about did enough to make it six wins out of six.
Australia will finish runners-up to New Zealand if they beat Argentina in the final match of the tournament later on Saturday.
What a game, what a comeback from #Springboks, what a way to end the @CastleLagerSA Rugby Champs. Well done all! #LoveRugby @MTNza @FNBSA pic.twitter.com/9iJaeTLxRL
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 7, 2017
Elton Jantjies and Barrett slotted over penalties in a frantic start before Ioane looked to have scored a superb solo try, but lost control as he reached out to try and touch down following a blistering run down the left wing.
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Jantjies missed a great chance to restore South Africa’s advantage from the tee and it was the Rugby Championship holders who were in front at 8-3 when Crotty was contentiously awarded a try just after the half-hour mark.
There was doubt over whether the centre had control when he dived on a loose ball following sloppy work from Jesse Kriel, but the try was awarded after a long consultation between referee Jerome Garces and the TMO.
McKenzie stepped up to drag his conversion attempt wide with Barrett off the field and Milner-Skudder left the field clutching his left shoulder before a breathless first half finally ended following 10 minutes of extra time.
The Springboks, backed by a raucous crowd, applied the pressure at the start of the second half and were rewarded when Cronje ploughed the ball against the foot of the post for their first try and Jantjies was left with a simple kick to put them back in front at 10-8.
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All Blacks coach Steve Hansen responded by replacing the entire front row before Lima Sopoaga missed a penalty from long range, but Ioane showed a rapid turn of foot after intercepting to race away for a superb try.
Sopoaga added the extras to give the All Blacks a five-point cushion, yet the magnificent Springboks were not finished and a gripping Test swung back in their favour when Du Preez went over following great work from Handre Pollard and Marx 14 minutes from time.
The Test was on a knife edge and New Zealand showed why they are the best team on the planet by responding again, the nippy McKenzie darting through a gap to go over after taking a clever offload from David Havili and Sopoaga landed the conversion.
There was more drama when substitute De Allende was somewhat harshly dismissed after catching Sopoaga when he attempted to charge down a drop-goal attempt that was off target and, although the brilliant Marx provided another late twist by scoring a richly deserved try that Jantjies converted, New Zealand saw out yet another win.
Comments on RugbyPass
Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
79 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
1 Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
1 Go to comments“ planning for the next cycle….” Sigh ill-advised language Elton old juice bean. Ppersonally glad you self-eliminated yourself, there were better players in the position around you.
3 Go to commentsRegardless of best in world etc. Lawes was outstanding against Leinster and has been all season. Looked like three try saving turnovers. His turnovers also contributed to NH scores. Immense performance.
2 Go to commentsDickson now considered the top ref in England it appears. Good that these series are getting one NH and one SH ref.
2 Go to commentsI don’t think any coach or selector would ever rely on Blackadder being available for selection. I didn’t think it would be possible but he has easily eclipsed Ennor as they most injured player of all time. IMO a symptom of today’s game where players are required to carry at least 10kg of extra mass from when they first hit the scene in their early 20s. Some players respond well to this, maybe due to genetics allowing them to recover faster, or not having reached their peak natural weight yet, but for others the constant training to maintain their weight eats away at recovery time and they spend most of their careers injured.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the lesson Nick! I presume that targeting gaps is situational because if a ball carrier straightens the line they can't be allowed a gap to run into? It feels like you need depth if you're going to pass it wide and plenty of variety - straight running, kicks just in behind, cross kicks etc. BTW what an incredible bench Toulouse had this week. People complain about Leinster being stacked but they need to be at the very highest level.
19 Go to comments2015 was by far the best team. They have had many good backlines over the years but the 2015 team was one of the few to have an absolute world class forward pack - all of them international quality. 6 ABs, 1 future English player, and one that would have gone on to ABs had he not been forced to retire due to concussion. This current team doesn’t have the same size and experience at lock, but providing they can keep this many talented young players (who have all significantly increased their profile this year) together for another 2 years they could eclipse the 2015 team.
2 Go to commentsAnd I’ve just seen RA has topped up the offer to Paisami and extended it beyond 3 years and he’s signed. Great news
79 Go to commentsInteresting watching Amaua starting to fire. No idea why he was pulled so early against the Reds.
4 Go to commentsNice to read something positive about Vunivalu; it doesn’t happen often. I despair for rugby in Oz. Unless some form of compensation for the teams producing players is devised, there is no obvious way for us to combat poachers coming to grab players in their prime with bigger pay cheques. A return to the SR crowds we were getting in 2010-2014 and a quadrupling of the TV deal would be a start but I don’t see how those things happen. Perhaps the government could be encouraged to deliver tax breaks like in Ireland?
79 Go to commentsI wasn’t aware that the blitz targeted space so, as usual, something learned from reading one of your articles, Nick. Watching the game live I attributed the Saints’ inaccuracy to their own mistakes and nerves. Perhaps some credit to the Leinster D.
19 Go to commentsGotta give it to you Graham, you support your players and team to the hilt. There may be strains of exaggeration laced throughout but gotta love the passionate parochialism.
2 Go to commentsNice one Nick. No doubt Vunivalu’s involvements and work rate are improving this year in attack, but I still think he is too raw on the defensive and backfield part of his game to be considered as a starter. Wales would just kick and run it to his side all night as the brumbies have done to good effect in the past. But, his size/power will keep him in the convo with Mark N leaving and Petaia’s injury record. Hunter definitely enjoying an injury-free run this season and being given the keys by Kiss - I have always been a fan of his. All I’d say is that his triple threat has been evident since 2020/21. I remember him making a grubber for a petaia try after the siren to beat the Brumbies in Canberra after the 80th minute in 2021. Lastly, Jock Campbell, who I know isn’t at the top of your list, I thought had alot of positive involvements in the saders game including both of Tim ryan’s tries and Mcreights
79 Go to commentsAg please, Pieter Stef Du Toit has played circles around this clown.
2 Go to commentsJust celebrating the Bok’s 1648th consecutive day as RWC champions. They are also the Qatar Airways Cup winners, which I know BennieBoy cares about a lot.
2 Go to commentsGood to here positive stories towards Aus Rugby. Although that might be the case, and highers up are right about Jordie, I wouldn’t stress trying to retain him. What I have seen of him in recent times is that he’s not using that something special. I feel there a better ‘something special’ options coming through that they won’t have to compete with league for, hell even in Kerevi and Paisami (isn’t it great to finally see his ability getting recognized, probably taking this article in isolation too much here).
79 Go to commentsgreat article! I wonder whether we will we see Ireland adopt the Nienaber blitz? All the teams who have tried it so far (SA included) have gone through significant teething problems in the first season; Ireland could possibly be in the unique position of being able to switch to a hard blitz in season 2 of a world cup cycle and already have so many players used to the system that it can be implemented seamlessly.
19 Go to commentsThey probably left another 20 on the field to be fair. Also - the officiating was… ordinary.
1 Go to comments