If this was to be All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s final Test in charge, he can exit the job with a sense of satisfaction after a superb display by his callow team.
After being smashed in Mbombela, the All Blacks produced a performance of brutal physicality and smart running to reclaim the Freedom Cup for a 12They ended a three match-losing streak and stopped the Springboks from winning the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009. The All Blacks now also have a better than even chance of winning the Rugby Championship.
One thing is certain, the Boks are now under huge pressure for the away stretch of the Rugby Championship because their record in Australia is poor. A few more losses on the road in the coming month will certainly raise legitimate questions about the direction the team is going. The Boks began poorly and were never able to fully claim a foothold in the match, even though they briefly took the lead for the first time 12 minutes from the end.
The strange decision to start the youngster when Mbonambi was ruled out with a knee injury, backfired and he was hooked on the half hour. By the time Marx entered the fray, the All Blacks held a 10-0 lead and had full momentum. Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, who had a strong game, scored the All Blacks’ second try after good work by his fellow forwards dented the Boks’ defensive line. It was a long way back from there for the world champions.The Boks’ issues were also compounded early on when Damian Willemse received a yellow card after killing the ball close to his line.
Midway through the second half, Am burst out of the 22 and sent Mapimpi away for a wonderful try, but referee Luke Pearce reviewed and decided that scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse had blocked Scott Barrett from tackling Am.t was a marginal call at best and from the ensuing penalty, New Zealand moved into a 21-13 lead with a quarter of the game to go. Pearce also awarded a soft penalty when Jasper Wiese tackled Aaron Smith after the whistle had gone.
The All Blacks might be going through a difficult time, but they have too many excellent rugby players to be taken lightly. The Boks were so dominant in Mbombela, perhaps they were over-confident for the return match at their Ellis Park fortress.
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