All Blacks vs Springboks: Media reacts to South Africa's heartbreaking loss

  • 07/10/2018

The All Blacks pulled off one of the great comebacks by overcoming a 17-point second-half deficit to beat the Springboks 32-30 in Pretoria on Sunday (NZ time).

The All Blacks trailed for almost the entire match, but a 79th-minute try to Ardie Savea gave Richie Mo'unga the chance to kick the match-winning conversion, which he converted to seal the win for New Zealand.

Here's a selection of perspectives from across the globe.

Jon Cardinelli, SARugbyMag.co.za

 

"The Springboks were left to lament a limp and ill-disciplined fourth-quarter performance against the All Blacks.

"The Boks were in charge of the contest for the better part of 60 minutes. Indeed, when Cheslin Kolbe was awarded a try in the 59th minute, the partisan crowd at Loftus started to celebrate, as if South Africa had scored their second win over the All Blacks in the space of three weeks.

"The Boks led 30-13 at that stage. They should have put the All Blacks away. Instead, they started to give away penalties, fall off tackles and concede acres of territory.

Damian de Allende scores for South Africa.
Damian de Allende scores for South Africa. Photo credit: AAP

"Rassie Erasmus may come to lament some of the substitutions he made during that period. The fact of the matter is that the Boks weren't up to repelling the All Blacks in the dying stages and the tactical display contrasted that of the first 50-odd minutes.

"The Boks scored three tries in the second stanza. That clinical display allowed them to take a 30-13 lead going into the fourth quarter. In the end, that lead wasn't big enough.

"The All Blacks shifted gear in terms of their tempo and accuracy. By contrast, the Boks made some poor decisions and gave away too many penalties."

Charlie Morgan, Telegraph.co.uk

 

"If there was a feeling that South Africa snatched victory in Wellington last month, New Zealand wreaked revenge at Loftus Versfeld with a stunning heist.

"Their thrilling comeback was capped by two excellent kicks from replacement fly-half Richie Mo'unga in the dying moments. First, a touch-finder following a breakdown penalty gave the All Blacks a lineout five metres from the try-line.

"Then, after Ardie Savea had burrowed over, a nerveless Mo'unga waited until the clock had crept past 80 minutes, before splitting the posts to convert the try and kill an epic game.

Sonny Bill Williams.
Sonny Bill Williams. Photo credit: Photosport

"Mo'unga, who replaced Waisake Naholo and shifted Beauden Barrett to fullback, brought greater control and precise distribution. Mo'unga orchestrated the Crusaders' Super Rugby title and was just as assured in a manic finale. With less than a year until the Rugby World Cup, Hansen now knows his true value."

Ashfak Mohamed, iol.co.za

 

"It was absolute heartbreak for the Springboks, as Ardie Savea scored and Richie Mo'unga slotted the decisive conversion at the death to hand the All Blacks a 32-30 Rugby Championship triumph at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.

"Having already clinched the title against Argentina last week, it would've been easier for [the All Blacks] to just go through the motions in front of a hostile Loftus [Versfeld] crowd.

"But Kieran Read and his team never gave up, with Ioane strolling over in the 62nd minute to begin the comeback, before Scott Barrett and Savea clinched an enthralling triumph.

"The Boks didn't deserve to lose, but the laboured approach in the first half will be a valuable lesson to them that they have to adopt a positive, attacking approach at all times, if they want to be World Cup contenders."

Newshub.