Third Test: South Africa 29 New Zealand 24 (SA lead four-match series 2-1)
South Africa edged another ferocious and bruising clash against New Zealand to win the third Test 29-24 in Johannesburg on Saturday and go 2-1 up in the four-Test series dubbed ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’.
Both teams scored four tries in front of 87,976 at Soccer City, with the Springboks coming back after trailing in the first half to add to their narrow success in last weekend’s second Test in Cape Town.
Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx scored tries for South Africa plus there was a penalty try awarded to the home side.
New Zealand captain Ardie Savea went over for two of his team’s tries before going off injured after half an hour, with record try scorer Will Jordan and Samisoni Taukei’aho adding the other two for the All Blacks, who won the first Test in Johannesburg a fortnight ago.
– Full report to follow
SOUTH AFRICA: Cheslin Kolbe; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Wilco Louw; Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje; Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Manie Libbok for Kolbe (9 mins); Morne van den Berg for Reinach (42); Thomas du Toit for Louw (50); Gerhard Steenekamp for Nche, Lood de Jager for Etzebeth, Deon Fourie for Kolisi (all 56); Cameron Hanekom for Wiese (61); Andre Esterhuizen for Marx (67).
Yellow card: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (9 mins).
NEW ZEALAND: Damian McKenzie; Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Leroy Carter; Ruben Love, Cam Roigard; George Bower, Asafo Aumua, Tyrel Lomax; Tupou Vaa’i, Sam Darry; Peter Lakai, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (capt).
Replacements: Wallace Sititi for Savea (30 mins); Anton Lienert-Brown for Tupaea (42); Xavier Numia for Bower, Fletcher Newell for Lomax (both 45); Fabian Holland for Darry, Samisoni Taukei’aho for Aumua (both 61); Kyle Preston for Roigard (66); Josh Moorby for Carter (67).
Yellow card: Love (10 mins).
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo).