All Blacks get the job done against the Boks to take firm control of Pool B
New Zealand fired an ominous warning of their grim focus to secure a record third-straight World Cup crown by grinding past South Africa 23-13 in Yokohama.
The back-to-back world champion All Blacks fended off everything a turbo-charged Cheslin Kolbe and the Springboks could throw at them, powering to an opening victory at times prosaic in style - but every inch foreboding for their foes.
George Bridge and Scott Barrett bagged New Zealand's tries, with Richie Mo'unga slotting 10 points with the boot. Beauden Barrett also notched a penalty of his own.
Rassie Erasmus' Springboks tore into New Zealand from the off, appeared to have punched themselves out after 20 minutes, then rose from the canvas for another flurry of combinations after the break.
Toulouse speed merchant Kolbe stormed, stalked and danced his way through, round and over the All Blacks defence - but crucially could not quite provide a finish.
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The marauding wing finished the match nursing a possible leg injury to heap misery on a frustrating night that had positively oozed promise from the moment he latched onto the ball for the first time in the second half.
New Zealand hardly excelled here, and Beauden Barrett's move to full-back continues to polarise opinion, and perhaps fail to convince. But boss Steve Hansen likes his All Blacks to build into tournaments, and his back line that finished the match - with Beauden Barrett at 10, Sonny Bill Williams in the centre and Ben Smith at full-back - will no doubt prove the starting combination for knockout clashes.
A watching Ireland can draw one clear conclusion from this engaging if at times sloppy contest - Joe Schmidt's men will have to crank up their own level significantly to defeat either of these teams. Ireland will face one of New Zealand or South Africa should they reach the quarter-finals and after this, the size of the task in store for the knockout stages has been laid bare.
For all of South Africa's doubtless frustration in defeat however, both these teams are surely bound for the quarter-finals, whereupon their real assault on the Japan tournament will begin in earnest.
South Africa's breakneck start rattled a curiously disjointed New Zealand. The Springboks flew off the defensive line with startling speed, hustling their way to a quick 3-0 lead thanks to a Pollard penalty. The Blue Bulls fly-half struck the post with a second effort off the tee, failing with a regulation shot - and after that traffic reversed.
Erasmus' men only wound up blitzing themselves with that super-aggressive line speed. The Boks effectively ran out of steam in the first quarter. Ailing limbs led to misplaced passes, and New Zealand pounced. First Makazole Mapimpi was hugely fortunate to escape a yellow card for killing the ball just five metres out, with Mo'unga banging over the penalty.
Then Bridge slid home after lightning raids from Sevu Reece, Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett. And when Scott Barrett cantered home just before the half-hour, New Zealand had total supremacy. Or so they thought. Suddenly the crowd burst into a Mexican Wave, and Kolbe snapped to it almost in a fit of anger - and the game set on fire.
Somehow Mo'unga denied Kolbe a stunning score at the last, but the All Blacks lost possession on their counter-attack. And flanker Du Toit flopped home to drag the Boks back into the equation. Pollard's conversion - and then a finely crafted and equally well-struck drop-goal - dragged Erasmus' men to within four points of the back-to-back world champions.
Mo'unga quickly slotted a penalty to restore the seven-point All Black advantage, before Barrett posted a three-pointer of his own. Kolbe bobbed, weaved and sneaked around defenders time and again at the death, but to no avail.
The Boks will hope he has not suffered a serious injury, because the fast-rising star has the potential to be the most destructive player in this competition.
- Press Association
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Latest Comments
Look, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
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