All Blacks win first test over Springboks
- 54 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A dominantn second half has taken the All Blacks to a 33-16 victory over the Springboks in the first test over South Africa.
The home side relied heavily on their scrum and box kicks, whereas the All Blacks counter attacked brilliantly at times in a contrast of styles.
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The Sprinboks were strong in the first half and had a 13-12 advantage at the break but couldn't find continuity in the second spell.
South Arica scored first with a penalty, but the All Blacks replied soon after with Will Jordon dotting down in the corner but Ruben Love missing the sideline conversion.
Buoyed by a vocal Ellis Park crowd, struck back soon after with replacement forward Andre Esterhuizen, who came on early with a Springboks player going for an HIA, barging over close to the posts. It was to be the only try of the game for the home side as they went ahead 10-5 with the conversion
The All Blacks replied with wing Josh Moorby scoring after a break from blindside flanker Tupou Vaa'i down the left edge.
Love nailed the conversion this time to put New Zealand ahead 12-10 midway through the first half but the tit-for-tat nature continued with Cheslin Kolbe kicking a penalty to take South Africa ahead 13-12.
The All Blacks were then forced into two substitutions after prop Ethan de Groot and lock Josh Lord clashed heads while trying to make a tackle.
Both left the field for HIA's and neither returned, replaced by prop George Bower and loose forward Simon Parker, with Vaa'i switching to lock.
The All Blacks scored their next try against the run of play with lock Fabian Holland charging down a Springboks clearing kick inside their 22 beating the final defender to dive over.
Love kicked the conversion as the All Blacks took a 19-16 lead.
The visitors almost scored again after a break from fullback Damian McKenzie but halfback Cam Roigard couldn't dive on the ball over the tryline after a Springboks player knocked McKenzie's attempted pass to Roigard backwards.
Momentum they turned for the All Blacks with loose forward Luke Jacobson barging over from close range after some nice continuity from the visitors.
Love added the extras to extend the All Blacks lead to 26-16 with 20 minutes remaining.
The Springboks then had two players yellow carded, with the All Blacks a metre out from the South African tryline and hot on attack, meaning they hosts would be down to 13 men for the final ten minutes of the match.
The All Blacks made the most of having extra men with wing Jordan scoring his second try of the test and the All Blacks fifth, going over untouched in the right hand corner.
New Zealand 33 (Will Jordan 2, Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland, Luke Jacobson tries; Ruben Love 4 con). South Africa 16 (Andre Esterhuizen try; Cheslin Kolbe con, 3 pen)
HT: 13-12
