Last-minute try secures dramatic South victory over the North
New Zealand and the rest of the rugby world wanted an exciting game of rugby, and the North and South Islands delivered it.
The highly-anticipated fixture lived up to every lofty expectation placed on it, with New Zealand’s best showing exquisite skill across the board to show the three-week break since the end of Super Rugby Aotearoa hasn’t diminished their frenetic pace of which they’re able to play the game.
As a result, the South chalked up a 38-35 victory over their Northern neighbours, but it took a very late fightback and a try long past the full-time siren to clinch the win.
It didn’t take long for the North to assert their authority on proceedings, with Blues wing Caleb Clarke storming through the South’s defence from deep inside his own 22 from the kick-off.
Not only did the uncapped youngster’s scintillating burst showed he has lost none of his electric touch that made him so valuable in Super Rugby Aotearoa, it also laid the platform for an early try that set the tone for the attacking edge the game was expected to have.
Latching onto a Beauden Barrett grubber kick inside the in-goal area, Rieko Ioane smashed his way over the chalk to give the hosts a five-point buffer after just three minutes.
It wasn’t an advantage that lasted for very long, with South prop Nepo Laualala showing great awareness to exploit a gap in the defensive line close to the ruck and snatch a close range try that any halfback would be proud of.
Going tit-for-tat in the attacking stakes, the North responded by producing one of the tries of the match, with Clarke, Ioane and TJ Perenara flinging offloads to one another to send Damian McKenzie in untouched from about 20 metres out.
Taking a more robust approach to crossing the line, the South used brute force to smash their way to their second try, using the massive frame of Jordie Barrett as a battering ram to smash through Sevu Reece and Perenara and slam the ball down in the corner.
An earlier penalty by the 23-year-old handed the South a three-point buffer at the break, but the North flexed their depth early on in the second stanza.
Coming on in place of Perenara, Highlanders star Aaron Smith was on the receiving end of another spectacular North team try that McKenzie and Hoskins Sotutu both played a helping hand in.
The fifth lead change of the night came just before the hour mark when Clarke, who hadn’t put a foot wrong all match, tried to keep the loose ball in play by swatting in-field as it bobbled towards the sideline.
That only allowed prolific try scorer Will Jordan – who, in contrast to Clarke, had been particularly quiet up until this point – to scoop it up and sprint 50-odd metres away for yet another try in 2020.
A pair of tries over the next 10 minutes followed, one for the South via reserve prop Tyrel Lomax, and one to the North through Ioane, whose pace and power were on full display in a performance that could almost be worthy of man-of-the-match honours.
However, it was a 72nd minute try to reserve North hooker Ash Dixon that looked to be the difference, with his borrowing run to the tryline under the posts piling a heap of pressure on their Southern counterparts.
The South never said die, though, with a Josh Ioane cross kick into the clutches of Jordan deep into injury time proving too much for Mitch Hunt to handle on defence.
That allowed the Crusaders flyer to cross over in the 85th minute, much to the delight of the South contingent, whose joy was audible throughout the empty Sky Stadium.
Their victory did come at a cost, however, as one-test centre Braydon Ennor collapsed in a heap after making a tackle on Rieko Ioane early on in the first half.
Clutching at his knee and having to be helped off the park after just 13 minutes of action must be a concerning sight for All Blacks coach Ian Foster.
He might have to rub Ennor’s name off his 35-man squad list before it’s announced on Sunday morning should the injury be as serious as it first looked.
Comments on RugbyPass
9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to comments