Greatest Rivalry Test 3: Combined XV

Soweto delivered another brutal chapter in rugby rivalry as South Africa edged New Zealand 29-24 at FNB Stadium in front of 85,967 roaring spectators. The match went into halftime deadlocked at 12-12, but the Springboks took control in a chilling, swirling second-half wind to claim a 2-1 series lead heading into the final Test in Baltimore.

While the All Blacks led the stat sheet with 130 carries to 95 and doubled the host nation in line breaks 12 to 6, South Africa’s set-piece muscle and bench power proved decisive, winning 100% of their scrums and forcing a pivotal penalty try at the halftime hooter.

The Forwards

• 1. Loosehead Prop: Ox Nche (South Africa) Ox Nche anchored a dominant South African scrum that won 100% of its resets and laid the foundation for the contest. Beyond his set-piece prowess, which directly earned a first-half stoppage-time penalty try, Nche displayed soft hands in open field when he supported a 35-metre break from Jasper Wiese to link up with Manie Libbok. His combination of front-row destruction and open-field mobility made him an easy pick at loosehead.
• 2. Hooker: Malcolm Marx (South Africa) Malcolm Marx put on a clinic off the bench, earning a match rating of nine through sheer breakdown dominance and set-piece perfection. Operating at a 100% lineout throw accuracy, Marx turned the tide late in the match by winning a vital breakdown penalty in his own half before peeling off a dominant driving maul from close range to score his 28th Test try.
• 3. Tighthead Prop: Wilco Louw (South Africa) Wilco Louw dismantled the Kiwi front row from the opening whistle, forcing scrum penalties in the 16th and 50th minutes. Louw provided the foundational drive that pushed the All Blacks pack five metres back into their own in-goal area to earn South Africa a crucial penalty try right before halftime.
• 4. Lock: Ruan Nortje (South Africa) Ruan Nortje provided the defensive backbone for the Springbok engine room, leading his side with 12 tackles across a grueling 80-minute shift. Despite getting isolated on an early goal-line drive, Nortje was ever-present around the breakdown and neutralised New Zealand’s interior carrying options in the second half.
• 5. Lock: Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand) Tupou Vaa’i overcame a shaky opening period on kick restarts to deliver a gritty, workhorse performance in the second forty. Vaa’i finished with six carries and six tackles, providing key lineout security and work rate while his frontline props struggled under heavy scrum pressure.
• 6. Blindside Flanker: Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa) Pieter-Steph du Toit turned in a trademark defensive masterclass, hitting ball carriers behind the gainline with bone-crunching tackles throughout the second half. His relentless pressure at the breakdown disrupted New Zealand’s quick play, making him the standout blindside on the field.
• 7. Openside Flanker: Peter Lakai (New Zealand) Peter Lakai was a bright spark for the visitors, making nine dynamic carries over the gainline and securing an early breakdown turnover near his own line to halt a promising Springbok attack. Lakai consistently broke tackles on the blindside, showing the athleticism and work rate required at the highest level.
• 8. Number Eight: Ardie Savea (New Zealand) Ardie Savea was utterly dominant during his 30 minutes on the pitch, scoring two crucial first-half tries and leading all players at the break with eight carries. Even though a shoulder injury forced him off before halftime, Savea’s explosive carry work and nose for the try line proved why he remains the most lethal backrower in world rugby.

The Backs

• 9. Scrum-Half: Cam Roigard (New Zealand) Cam Roigard brought crisp service and tactical intelligence, probing the defensive line with quick taps and executing a pinpoint 50/22 box kick from midfield. Roigard sparked New Zealand’s third try with a clever grubber kick behind the defensive line and kept the Springbok fringe defenders constantly backpedaling.
• 10. Fly-Half: Manie Libbok (South Africa) Manie Libbok entered the action after ten minutes and immediately injected flair into the South African backline, executing a mazy 40-metre counter-attacking run that took him inches short of the try line. Libbok shared playmaking duties flawlessly, varied the attack with sharp passing, and set up the lineout position that led to the match-winning maul try.
• 11. Left Wing: Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa) Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed for his 26th Test try in 34 appearances, finishing smoothly in the right corner while South Africa was down to 14 men. Arendse remained a constant threat with his ball carrying, beating defenders out wide and making crucial cover tackles down the left flank.
• 12. Inside Centre: Damian de Allende (South Africa) Damian de Allende delivered a masterclass in midfield play, completing 11 tackles down his channel while setting up South Africa’s opening try with superior footwork and a fend on Leroy Carter. Late in the contest, de Allende broke the line to put Jesse Kriel through before securing a vital floor turnover to seal the win.
• 13. Outside Centre: Jesse Kriel (South Africa) Jesse Kriel swung the match momentum back to the Springboks by brushing off a tackle and sprinting 40 metres untouched to score a sensational individual try on the hour mark. Kriel made multiple line breaks, linked cleanly with de Allende, and provided rock-solid midfield defense under heavy pressure.
• 14. Right Wing: Will Jordan (New Zealand) Will Jordan led all players on the field with 13 carries and sparked several of New Zealand’s 12 team line breaks, constantly threatening with his electric speed and chip-and-chase kicks. Jordan gathered a pop pass from Leroy Carter to score New Zealand’s third try and proved to be the most dangerous attacking runner on the park.
• 15. Fullback: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (South Africa) Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu recovered brilliantly from an early yellow card to lead South Africa with 11 carries, shifting seamlessly to fullback to handle playmaking and backfield coverage. He nailed two conversions and a clutch 45-metre penalty goal into a swirling wind to build an unassailable lead in the closing stages.