South Africa has triumphed over New Zealand with a 43-28 victory in Baltimore, securing a 3-1 win in the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test series. This win underscores the Springboks’ dominance, especially in the second half where they pulled away from a closely contested first half. Key contributions came from Damian de Allende, who scored in both halves, while Morne van den Berg, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Cameron Hanekom also made significant strides across the try line for South Africa.
Despite New Zealand’s efforts, the All Blacks found it challenging to match the intensity brought by the Springboks. Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder, and Beauden Barrett managed to get points on the board for New Zealand. However, the Springboks’ superior play in breakdowns, set-pieces, and aerial battles kept them ahead.
The All Blacks showed a glimmer of hope for a comeback when they narrowed the gap to 29-21. Nevertheless, Kurt-Lee Arendse dashed their hopes with a remarkable solo run from deep within his own half, navigating past defenders to score and solidifying South Africa’s control of the match.
The game faced an interruption of over eight minutes due to a communication failure involving the match officials. However, this did not alter the outcome, as South Africa maintained their momentum and secured a convincing victory.
With this win, South Africa solidifies its status as world champions. Meanwhile, New Zealand looks ahead, intending to build on the positive aspects of their performance as they prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.