Rennie era suffers first loss as All Blacks comeback falls short

By Liam Napier in Cape Town

The backlash was inevitable. After landing the first, flush blow to hand the Springboks a bloody nose at Ellis Park, the All Blacks knew a brutal beast awaited them. This time, though, they couldn’t overcome the relentless green wave.

With their backs pressed firmly against the wall after the heaviest defeat of the Rassie Erasmus era, the Boks had to serve a reminder of why they are back-to-back world champions.

They did just that – even if they were clinging on at the death – to lead from start to finish and square the series in Cape Town with a 33-26 win.

One-one with two tests remaining in this engrossing series. Everything to play for in Johannesburg and Baltimore.

After five tests, the Dave Rennie All Blacks era suffers its first loss.

Unlike last week, there was no great escape for the All Blacks. The effort, the intent, was there. The accuracy was not.

The All Blacks bench, led by Asafo Aumua, again injected telling impact to inspire another last-quarter comeback.

Leroy Carter and Ardie Savea scored in the final 14 minutes after the All Blacks trailed by 16 points, but this time it wasn’t enough. This time it proved futile. The damage had been done.

Compounding errors ultimately allowed the Boks to impose their effective, suffocating squeeze tactics.

Erasmus turned to his most experienced team in history to summon a response and they delivered a customary bounce back. Just as they did last year from their Eden Park loss to the record Wellington win – and against the British & Irish Lions in 2021, and at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups after losing pool matches to claim those tournaments.

While Cheslin Kolbe was named man of the match after slotting 18 points off the tee, Boks halfback Cobus Reinach made a huge difference with his control, sniping and constant kicking from the base.

Siya Kolisi of South Africa celebrates his try with teammate Cobus Reinach. Photo / Photosport

This All Blacks performance can’t be compared with their largest loss to the Boks in the capital last September, but on this occasion their lack of accuracy, particularly at the faltering lineout and under the high ball, could not be covered by spirit.

The All Blacks flipped the script by gaining parity at the scrums, achieving 179 more post-contact metres, making three more line breaks and forcing the Boks to miss 39 tackles.

Too often, though, the All Blacks gave the Boks easy outs.

Erasmus pulled one of his old tricks by switching his entire starting front row with those on the bench and only announcing the changes an hour before kickoff.

Those late changes followed Kolbe’s inclusion on the right wing for Kurt-Lee Arendse one day before the game.

The onslaught was inevitable. That came thick and fast early from the Boks. Two minutes in, Jesse Kriel handed them the ascendancy – and they did not let up.

There was a clear tactic from the All Blacks to use attacking kicks to get in behind the Boks’ rush defence, but they didn’t regather nearly enough of those. Rennie’s men were at their best with ball in hand playing at pace, although they couldn’t generate the desired speed from the breakdown.

Utilising sweeping attacking movements and quick hands, the All Blacks often broke the Boks down the right-hand edge where Will Jordan’s balance and elusiveness laid on Cam Roigard’s try.

Leroy Carter runs in to score for the All Blacks. Photo / Photosport

Turnovers, eight in the first half, and penalties proved costly for the All Blacks. Their lineout and restarts – under immense Springboks pressure – squandered chances and gave the Boks easy entries to their 22.

The All Blacks scrambled well on defence at times, but this week the Boks were much more ruthless in the red zone to convert pressure into points.

Whenever they were in range, the Boks took the points on offer too, with Kolbe stepping up to build scoreboard pressure.

Under the pump, the All Blacks were left chasing the game but their character cannot be questioned.

Savea stepped up with a first-half break off the lineout to set up Damian McKenzie’s strike.

Erasmus then pulled his trump card, injecting influential front rowers Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche after gaining a scrum five metres out from the All Blacks’ line. A scrum penalty followed, and Siya Kolisi’s try ensured the Boks extended their lead to 10 points at the break.

The Boks dominated the early stages of the second half but they could only manage nine points from Kolbe’s boot.

Two second-half tries from the All Blacks offered hope of another unlikely comeback, but this time the Boks held on to immediately change the complexion of the series.

Now the All Blacks must respond.

All Blacks 26 (Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter, Ardie Savea tries; Ruben Love 3 cons)

Springboks 33 (Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Siya Kolisi tries; Cheslin Kolbe 3 cons, 4 pens)

HT: 14-24