South Africa fought back from behind to defeat New Zealand 29-24 in a physical third Test match, securing a 2-1 advantage in ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ with one fixture remaining. In front of a sellout crowd of 87,976 at FNB Stadium in Soweto, both sides exchanged four tries apiece in a contest defined by its intensity and drama.
Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, and Malcolm Marx scored for the Springboks, who were also credited with a penalty try. The win follows their narrow victory in the second Test in Cape Town the previous week, extending their dominance in the series.
New Zealand found themselves ahead early after captain Ardie Savea crossed for two first-half tries. However, Savea’s night ended prematurely due to a severe shoulder injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the match. Despite the setback, the All Blacks stayed in contention, with record try-scorer Will Jordan and hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho touching down late in the game to keep the result in doubt until the final whistle.
The series now moves to the United States for the decisive fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday, September 12. Live coverage on Sky Sports will broadcast the clash, which serves as a must-win encounter for New Zealand if they wish to salvage any pride from the tour.
What a thrilling match! The Springboks showed great resilience to come back and take the lead. Excited for the decider in Baltimore!
Ardie Savea’s injury is a huge blow for New Zealand. Can they overcome this adversity in the final Test? Really curious to see how they respond.