Springboks
By Lerato Mpembe
The Springboks once again proved their dominance over their fierce rivals, the All Blacks, by securing an 18-12 victory in the 2024 Castle Lager Rugby Championship. The victory at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium marks their second consecutive win against New Zealand in this year’s competition and their fourth consecutive triumph over the Kiwis, a feat unmatched in the professional era. With this win, the Springboks also reclaimed the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009, igniting celebrations among the sold-out crowd of over 57,000.
First Half: Intense Tactical Battle
The opening half of the match mirrored the intense rivalry between the two teams. The All Blacks, known for their fast starts, took an early lead through three penalty goals by Damian McKenzie, while the Springboks struggled to break through their defence. South Africa’s tactical kicking and discipline were lacking, and their lineout issues persisted, leading to several missed opportunities in attacking positions. By halftime, New Zealand led 9-3, maintaining pressure on the Springboks .
Second Half: Kolisi and Marx Lead the Charge
The second half saw a rejuvenated Springbok side, starting with Handre Pollard’s penalty that reduced the deficit to 9-6. The momentum shifted dramatically when captain Siya Kolisi powered over the line for the first try, with Pollard converting to give South Africa a 10-9 lead. Malcolm Marx, who entered the game as a substitute, continued to demonstrate his importance, scoring the decisive second try with only minutes left on the clock. Despite New Zealand’s efforts, including a missed penalty by McKenzie, they couldn’t close the gap, allowing the Springboks to hold on for an 18-12 win .
Key Performances and Turning Points
Siya Kolisi’s leadership and try from close range were crucial, as was Marx’s physicality, particularly in the lineouts and scrums. New Zealand’s prop Tyrel Lomax’s yellow card late in the game further tipped the balance in favour of the Springboks. Lomax’s infringement allowed the Boks to take advantage of the numbers game, with Marx capitalising on the lineout to score the decisive try .
For the All Blacks, McKenzie’s early penalties kept them in the game, but his missed opportunities in the second half—one hitting the post—proved costly. Despite their strong defence, the All Blacks failed to score a single try, a testament to South Africa’s resilient defence .
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