The All Blacks celebrate winning a second Rugby Championship title
after defeating the Springboks 38-27

by Brendan Bradford –

They saved the best for last.

The chance of an anti-climax was high in such a keenly anticipated decider, but the All Blacks and Springboks put on a match for the ages at Ellis Park as the visitors earned a 38-27 win to secure a second consecutive Rugby Championship title.

Playing a quarter of the game with 14-men at a ground they hadn’t won at since 1997, the All Blacks showed their class, courage and depth in a five tries to four see-saw victory in which the lead changed hands eight times.

Liam Messam celebrates after scoring his second try of the match

“The thing that keeps this team going is wanting to get better and better and what better place to test yourself than against the Boks at Ellis Park,” said All Blacks captain Richie McCaw afterwards.

“That’s why you play the game, for matches like tonight.”

In truth, South Africa was always up against it, but didn’t shy away from the challenge. Needing to win with a bonus point while denying the All Blacks one themselves in order to claim the Rugby Championship, the Boks threw everything at it from the get-go. A historic victory was on the cards too until defensive lapses in the final quarter allowed a clinical All Blacks side to run away with an 11-point win.

“It is disappointing, we said we wanted to score the four tries to be able to win the competition and that’s what it was about for us,” said Springboks captain Jean de Villiers.

“Had we won this game but not scored the four tries, we would have felt exactly the same. Rugby is about attack and defence and unfortunately our defence wasn’t up to it tonight.”

With high-intensity, end-to-end action and incredible skill, the encounter showed the gulf in class between the top two teams in the Rugby Championship and the bottom two.

“That’s a hell of a match to win, and I haven’t seen the Springboks play a game like that in a long time,” said McCaw.

“I don’t know how much running there was, but it was a hell of a lot. It was one hell of a match.”

An exhausted de Villiers agreed.

“We would have loved to have won this game, but I think the rugby that was dished up tonight was a great advertisement for rugby all around the world and I think the world sat up tonight and saw what these two teams can do.”

Willie le Roux stretches out to score for the Springboks in the second half

It was a match that had it all.

A double to Bryan Habana after a spectacular opener to All Blacks maverick Ben Smith set the scene in the opening quarter. Habana’s second – a brilliant chip and chase – put the home-side ahead 15-7 but the veteran winger limped off with a hamstring injury shortly after, blunting the Boks’ attack.

Liam Messam finished off a well-worked team try in the 25th minute to narrow the gap to one point before nabbing another on the stroke of halftime.

Despite losing Habana and Willem Alberts to injury, the Springboks dominated the possession and territory stats in the opening stanza but trailed 21-15 at the break and faced the daunting task of keeping the All Blacks tryless in the second half.

Messam was sin-binned just after the restart before a quick tap saw Willie le Roux bust over for a 22-21 scoreline. As Morne Steyn kicked the conversion, Aaron Cruden went off injured to compound the All Blacks’ woes and fuel the Springboks’ comeback.

Cruden’s replacement, Beauden Barrett, landed a penalty to reclaim the visitors’ lead before de Villiers – a standout for South Africa all game – put his rampaging finishing touches on the Boks’ fourth try and with over a quarter still to play the match and the title hung in the balance.

In a game of such quality, it’s fitting the winning try came from an exquisite piece of skill. Barrett – who had missed a tackle on de Villiers as the South African captain scored just minutes earlier – received the ball in heavy traffic, but slipped three would-be tacklers and put on the afterburners to dot down under the posts.

Beauden Barrett leaves the Springboks defence in his wake
to win Rugby Championship for New Zealand

With 20-minutes on the clock, the All Blacks’ fourth try sealed the Championship. With the title gone, the Springboks’ intensity slipped slightly, allowing Man of the Match Kieran Read to finish off a fifth try as Ben Franks was sent to the bin for a swinging arm.

Referee Nigel Owens must be commended for a brilliant performance. Under immense pressure stemming from the importance of the game and the baying Johannesburg crowd, Owens was measured, calm and didn’t miss a beat, even when cramp struck him down late in the game.

Case in point is his handling of what has already been labelled “typo-gate”. Midway through the second half, match officials realised Keven Mealamu was named on the team-sheet as the All Blacks’ replacement hooker, but Dane Coles had come on as a substitute for starter Andrew Hore just after halftime.

“It’s a simple typo,” explained All Blacks manager, Darren Shand on the field at the time.

Owens diffused what was potentially an explosive situation by saying there was nothing he could do, the game must go on and the matter will be dealt with later. Credit must also go to de Villiers who – although incredulous at the oversight – handled the incident with good humour and customary composure.

Their second undefeated Rugby Championship campaign secures New Zealand’s place at the top of the IRB World Rankings, while South Africa maintain second spot.

All Blacks 38 (Liam Messam 2, Beauden Barrett, Kieran Read, Ben Smith tries: Aaron Cruden 3, Barrett 2 cons, Barrett pen) d Springboks 27(Bryan Habana 2, Jean De Villiers, Willie Le Roux tries: Morne Steyn 2 cons, pen)