South Africa angled passed New Zealand in a dramatic encounter in the third round of the Rugby Championship to cement their place at the top of the tournament table. In a tight first half, tries from Codie Taylor, Caleb Clarke and Bongi Mbonambi were the highlights as both national teams looked to gain an advantage after Aphelele Fassi received a yellow card. The scores were locked at 11-12 to the visitors at half-time, and the second half started in perfect fashion for the All Blacks as Jordie Barrett intercepted a loose pass and raced home for five points.
From there it looked like the All Blacks were set to dominate, especially after Caleb Clarke crossed again, but New Zealand couldn’t capitalise when it mattered. And soon after they paid the price, with Ofa Tu’ungafasi getting a late yellow card to spark an impressive Springboks turnaround. Kwagga Smith crossed the line soon after to give South Africa life, and from there it was one-way traffic as Grant Williams completed the comeback in the 74th minute. It could have been a vital win for the All Blacks as they looked to close the gap on the Springboks at the top of the tournament table, but instead South Africa end the day with a lead that looks difficult to relinquish – eight points over their nearest challengers, New Zealand.
South Africa scored two late tries to come back from a 10-point deficit and edge New Zealand 31-27 in a bruising Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Saturday that came close to matching the intensity of last year’s World Cup final.
The way South Africa plays against the New Zealand national team will determine how far it will go in the Championship. The pressure will mount despite the skill. The New Zealanders for their part seem to have lost heavily on a golden opportunity. The match itself would have been tough between the two rugby teams given both are made up of professional players. Players trained to the brink of breaking point. The South Africans score is now than would have been anticipated, making the South African Rugby team the under-dog. Rugby can prove to be a rough, tough and gruelling sport. The physical shape and focus it takes to train depends on endurance like all sports. You also have to have your wits about you. To outsmart the other team.
And outsmarting the other team is what South Africa did to New Zealand. By luck the South Africans were able to use the All-Blacks confidence against them. The main goal is for South Africa to use all the skill and training available to it to move swiftly through the championship.
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has returned to a more full-strength side after making 10 changes to the side that beat Australia in the opener. This time, the majority of the pack returns, with the notable exception of Eben Etzebeth, who originally looked set to miss out through injury, but is now included on the bench. And the back line returns to normal too, with Aphelele Fassi, Jesse Kriel and Cheslin Kolbe all keeping their places alongside new fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
South Africa still has to contest with other professional teams to stay ahead in the championship. The sport can be gruelling depending on the team being played against. The return of the entire team to the playing field is good news showing the determination of the team mates to continue. Continue playing the game against the other team. The defence of the South African rugby team is in good order. The back line would be well secured with the team mates looking out for each other.
Grant Williams’ late try rounded off a stunning South Africa comeback as they beat New Zealand in the third week of the Rugby Championship. The Springboks trailed at the break and were 27-17 down at one point, but New Zealand prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s 69th-minute sin-bin helped the hosts find victory. The All Blacks scored four tries – one more than the Springboks – but fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s kicking proved crucial as he provided 16 points with the boot. Feinberg-Mngomezulu was successful with four penalties and two conversions in a high-intensity match which was a repeat of last year’s World Cup final. New Zealand led 12-11 at half-time with Codie Taylor and Caleb Clarke scoring tries either side of Bongi Mbonambi going over for the hosts. The visitors gained a 10-point advantage when Jordie Barrett raced away to score and then Clarke doubled his tally in the second half.
All in all, it sounds like a very intense game where even the professionals have jitters. The fact that New Zealand suffered a heavy defeat in this game shows that the South African Rugby team is in it its prime. However, there is still more that needs to be done as regards to ensure that the Springboks do not underestimate their opponents. This high-intensity match will certainly make Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and the rest of the team weary of the opposing team. Rugby is not just a rough sport it is also a sport that requires a lot of manoeuvring by both opposing teams to outsmart the other. The Championships can be become even more tougher as the Springboks advance through the ranks. The risk of losing carries greater risk should they (the Springboks) not be weary of their opponents who are going through the same process.
Professional sport on the field is very stressful and can fuel anxiety. Winning depends on the wits of the best team.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
