South Africa beats New Zealand with a draw

The 101st match between South Africa and New Zealand in history on Saturday was the next. The next version of No. 100 is poor in the game, marked by the bombardment of the order of New Zealand’s rear by Pfaff de Klerk. This Saturday in Australia, we finally saw the great game of rugby.

Handry Bullard was swinging the first candle in the sky a few minutes later, but the South Africans offered to attack. Even S’busiso Nkosi’s gorgeous Chistera Lukhanyo Am allowed Damien de Allende to score his first attempt at the game (the fifth). The beginnings of an incredible encounter?

The two succumbed to a heavy blow, very hard, with occasional border contacts… Then Bewden Barrett made the show. New Zealand’s opening half sent a perfect pass to Sevo Reis, after losing the opposing ball (13th place). Barely time to breathe and the number 10 brought him back, in a tiebreak 40 meters from the goal line, for the relay of Riku Iwan and the test of Ardi Savia (28).

Magic but also exploiting the mistakes of South Africa. At a distance of 5 meters from the line, Brad Weber had to dive in a closed area (32). Only Pollard’s shoe kept the Springboks at halftime (14-20).

After the break, the South Africans were adventurous. Makazul Mapembe scored a corner kick in the 52nd minute, South Africa passed in front (22-20, then 25-20). The quality of the game has not waned, even if the lack of discipline hatches the course of the match. These are the flaws that decided the fate of the meeting.

In a hesitant to the end, stifling apex, punctuated by chances on both sides, Jordi Barrett contemplated beating New Zealand twice. Before and after a nearly decisive drop from Elton Jantjies (28-26). Like last week, the youngest of the three All Blacks brothers gave the good face to that day’s champion.

That was without relying on one last balloon Duan Vermeulen had retrieved. Forty meters and a penalty kick under the poles, South Africa won after a giant match, and New Zealand was denied one of the major slams of this rugby tournament that it had already won. Triumph with play, win with one last kick…

Fact of the match: South Africa’s mistakes could have been very expensive

Springbok errors are not unusual. Seeing Handré Pollard miss two penalties and conversion is rare. Willy Le Roux provided a striker at the start of the match that cost the attempt, such as the prostitute Bonji Mbonambe at 5 meters from the goal line. A record that would have given victory to the All Blacks. But by changing his entire front row just before the break, coach Jack Nenber improved the quality of his second-half win. More solid in scrum and communication, South Africa finished this rugby tournament in excellent shape.