After the excitement of last weekend’s good performance against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld, the All Blacks have just brought the Springboks back down to earth with a hard blow.
The home team finished the match 35 – 20 at the Mount Smart Stadium to win another rugby match in Auckland; a city where they were last on the losing side in 1994.
A brilliant opening salvo laid the foundation for their eventual victory.
Richie Mo’unga pulled the strings from his fly-half position, Shannon Frizell steamrolled Willie le Roux on his way to the goal line and the Springboks, with their poor play at the breakdown points, gave away possession on a tray, as it were.
In the blink of an eye, the All Blacks enjoyed a lead of 17 – 0; they built more phases than Eskom, they won the dogfights hands down and the poor South Africans definitely suffered from bomb shock.
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— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 15, 2023
It was only with the entry of Malcolm Marx and RG Snyman in the second half that the flame of hope started to flicker again for the Springboks.
The Bomb Squad players provided a welcome injection of adrenaline at the breakdown points and on the attack and Marx was deservedly rewarded with the visitors’ first try of the showdown.
A little while later, a good Le Roux pass sent a flying Cheslin Kolbe away along the touchline and suddenly the visitors could once again be talking on the scoreboard.
But any talk of a possible fight back was quickly cut short by Will Jordan and Mo’unga’s tries.
Kwagga Smith’s catch-and-release wheel try at least provided a Bok smile or two for the last time, but by then it was already too late.
Mathieu Raynal also had a nice chat with his whistle, while in the first half it was decided that Kolbe’s three-point attempt was invalid.
Can one lay the reason for the beating at their door?
No.
The All Blacks already had this game in the bag in the first half.
Was this a try by Cheslin Kolbe? ????
Schalk and Shimmy seem to disagree with the ref here ????
Score: 17-0
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— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 15, 2023
- Scorers:
All Blacks: Tries: Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizell, Will Jordan and Richie Mo’unga. Goals: Mo’unga (3). Penalties: Mo’unga (3).
Springboks: Tries: Malcolm Marx, Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith. Goal kick: Kolbe. Penalty kick: Faf de Klerk.
Richie Mo’unga dots down for the All Blacks as they get their fourth try of the morning ????
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— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 15, 2023
