Record-breaking Boks flex muscles to crush All Blacks in Twickenham
New Zealand were scorched by a South African pack that was carefully assembled for this clash
26 August 2023 - 09:03
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Kurt-Lee Arendse breaks clear to score the second Springboks try during the Summer International match against the All Blacks at Twickenham on August 25 2023. The Boks thrashed the All Blacks 35 - 7. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images
South Africa will march to the Rugby World Cup with the biggest spring in their step after recording their biggest win over their greatest rivals at Twickenham on Friday night.
On a dark night for All Blacks rugby, the Springboks ran out 35-7 winners eclipsing the 17-0 victory of Phil Mostert's side in Durban in 1928.
The Bok forwards laid the foundation deep in the boiler room in the first half and there were times in the second they must have felt on Cloud Nine.
While the Boks would have done their RWC credentials no harm, the All Blacks have a lot to ponder before they take on France on September 8.
Rarely has their pack spent so much time in retreat, or been so poorly disciplined.
Scott Barrett's cheap shot swinging arm to the head of a low lying Malcolm Marx, who was not influencing play, bordered on thuggery.
His earlier yellow card for playing Faf de Klerk at a ruck came back to bite him.
This was branded a warm-up game but the Bok forwards were red-hot from the start.
It was New Zealand who were on the receiving end as they were scorched by a South African pack that was carefully assembled for this clash.
The most experienced Springbok pack ever flexed their collective muscle and seven of them bar Pieter-Steph du Toit were substituted — a first in Test rugby.
Siya Kolisi's team wanted to atone for the poor first quarter in their last outing and did not come out cold this time.
Thankfully for the black-clad supporters, their team brought more than their share of mongrel in defence in the first half.
The All Blacks played the first half under an inordinate amount of pressure and though the Boks would take a 14-point gap into the break against their greatest rivals, this was probably an exception.
Initially their toil in dominating possession and territory was not commensurate with their gains on the scoreboard.
However, the pressure wrought by Duane Vermeulen, Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Du Toit and Co in the first half took full effect in the second.
Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Manie Libbok, André Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie all revelled at the back.
It was Kurt-Lee Arendse's intuition by shutting down the All Blacks' space in midfield from broken play that brought him an intercept and another try.
It was his 11th try in 10 Tests to double the Boks lead before the break.
That came after Kolisi got over which must have been the hardest earned try these Boks have scored.
They laid siege to the All Blacks line in the opening quarter but could not get over until the skipper did.
Early in the second half Marx became the leading try scorer for a Springbok forward when a Kolisi pass back to the hooker at the front of the line-out gave him enough space to charge in.
Bongi Mbonambi and Kwagga Smith also got onto the scoresheet to underline the Boks' dominance.
Scorers
South Africa (35) — Tries: Siya Kolisi, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Kwagga Smith. Conversions: Manie Libbok (5).
New Zealand (7) — Try: Cam Roigard. Conversion: Richie Mo'unga.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Record-breaking Boks flex muscles to crush All Blacks in Twickenham
New Zealand were scorched by a South African pack that was carefully assembled for this clash
South Africa will march to the Rugby World Cup with the biggest spring in their step after recording their biggest win over their greatest rivals at Twickenham on Friday night.
On a dark night for All Blacks rugby, the Springboks ran out 35-7 winners eclipsing the 17-0 victory of Phil Mostert's side in Durban in 1928.
The Bok forwards laid the foundation deep in the boiler room in the first half and there were times in the second they must have felt on Cloud Nine.
While the Boks would have done their RWC credentials no harm, the All Blacks have a lot to ponder before they take on France on September 8.
Rarely has their pack spent so much time in retreat, or been so poorly disciplined.
Scott Barrett's cheap shot swinging arm to the head of a low lying Malcolm Marx, who was not influencing play, bordered on thuggery.
His earlier yellow card for playing Faf de Klerk at a ruck came back to bite him.
This was branded a warm-up game but the Bok forwards were red-hot from the start.
It was New Zealand who were on the receiving end as they were scorched by a South African pack that was carefully assembled for this clash.
The most experienced Springbok pack ever flexed their collective muscle and seven of them bar Pieter-Steph du Toit were substituted — a first in Test rugby.
Siya Kolisi's team wanted to atone for the poor first quarter in their last outing and did not come out cold this time.
Thankfully for the black-clad supporters, their team brought more than their share of mongrel in defence in the first half.
The All Blacks played the first half under an inordinate amount of pressure and though the Boks would take a 14-point gap into the break against their greatest rivals, this was probably an exception.
Initially their toil in dominating possession and territory was not commensurate with their gains on the scoreboard.
However, the pressure wrought by Duane Vermeulen, Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Du Toit and Co in the first half took full effect in the second.
Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Manie Libbok, André Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie all revelled at the back.
It was Kurt-Lee Arendse's intuition by shutting down the All Blacks' space in midfield from broken play that brought him an intercept and another try.
It was his 11th try in 10 Tests to double the Boks lead before the break.
That came after Kolisi got over which must have been the hardest earned try these Boks have scored.
They laid siege to the All Blacks line in the opening quarter but could not get over until the skipper did.
Early in the second half Marx became the leading try scorer for a Springbok forward when a Kolisi pass back to the hooker at the front of the line-out gave him enough space to charge in.
Bongi Mbonambi and Kwagga Smith also got onto the scoresheet to underline the Boks' dominance.
Scorers
South Africa (35) — Tries: Siya Kolisi, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Kwagga Smith. Conversions: Manie Libbok (5).
New Zealand (7) — Try: Cam Roigard. Conversion: Richie Mo'unga.
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