The All Blacks' unbeaten run is over.
In another epic contest between the world's two best teams, the desperate Springboks ended a five test, three-year drought against the All Blacks with a controversial 27-25 win in Johannesburg this morning.
After missing a dropped goal one minute earlier, replacement playmaker Pat Lambie was the hero for the Boks after stepping up to kick a 55-metre match-winning penalty with 90 seconds left.
Referee Wayne Barnes awarded the penalty after extended consultation with the TMO. In the end, Barnes decided Liam Messam's shoulder had made contact with Schalk Burger's head while the Boks flanker was falling.
Ellis Park erupted as Lambie's kick split the sticks - all 64,000 were on their feet. The result was just the All Blacks second loss under Steve Hansen since the World Cup triumph in 2011, ending a 22-test unbeaten run which dated back to the 2012 loss to England at Twickenham.
They didn't go down without a fight, having launched a miraculous comeback. The All Blacks scored two tries in the final quarter and seemed as though they would, once again, overrun the Boks. Not this time.
Attrition took its toll on the All Blacks who finished the brutal and energy-sapping test with Colin Slade at halfback after Aaron Smith had been replaced and Tawera Kerr-Barlow was injured. Dane Coles, Liam Messam and Steven Luatua all had a massive impact from the bench, but it wasn't enough.
With the World Cup under a year away, the Boks will savour this win and feel they have overcome a significant mental barrier.
Spurred on by their rabid supporters, and led by a standout performance from 20-year-old rookie first five-eighth Handre Pollard who had 19 points, the Boks' early onslaught was frenetic and it did not let up. They took on the All Blacks at their own game, playing with absolute blind determination to use the ball. It didn't always work but, for the most part, their execution was sharp.
They turned down shots at goal, took quick taps, attacked from under their own posts, offloaded in the tackle, and rarely kicked. It was engrossing and surprising stuff from the traditionally conservative South Africans. Pollard flung the ball wide at every opportunity which gave wings Bryan Habana and Cornal Hendricks plenty of space to showcase their skills and pace.
With no trophy on the line, the All Blacks appeared flat in the first-half. They were certainly under the pump throughout. Malakai Fekitoa again stood out at second-five. He saved a certain try by sprinting back and beat Hendricks to the ball and also carried well. As he surpassed Colin Meads' record, Richie McCaw worked tirelessly, as did Sam Whitelock, and Julian Savea had some magic touches - his chip and re-gather after the All Blacks scrum was demolished set up Fekitoa's try.
Collectively, though, they couldn't match the Boks' hunger.
Uncharacteristic errors - losing the ball in contact and wayward passing from the backline - gifted the ball away far too frequently which limited their ability to create any sustained pressure. It was also evident they missed Brodie Retallick's relentless presence.
The All Blacks spent almost the whole first-half defending grimly. They scrambled well but couldn't prevent the Boks running in three tries - two to Pollard and a stunning long-range effort finished by halfback Francois Hougaard. Pollard's second on the stroke of half-time was a killer blow.
As they did against the Boks in Wellington, the All Blacks were exposed at the breakdown, while their set piece also struggled at times. The lineout in particular was shaky.
The Boks were lucky not to concede a yellow card from referee Wayne Barnes for repeatedly killing the ball at the ruck, but Marcell Coetzee also snaffled turnovers when the All Blacks were isolated and lacked numbers.
With 30 minutes to go, Steve Hansen turned to his reinforcements. Messam and Coles were summoned which temporarily forced Jerome Kaino to switch to lock, until Luatua's injection in the last quarter.
In an attempt to overturn an 11 point deficit the visitors turned down two shots at goal. For the third occasion Conrad Smith showed his experience by slicing through and delivering the perfect pass for Ben Smith to score. The comeback was on.
This time, though, they couldn't pull it off.
SCORECARD
All Blacks 25 (Malakai Fekitoa, Ben Smith, Dane Coles tries, Beauden Barrett pen 2, con 2
Springboks 27 (Francois Hougaard, Handre Pollard 2 tries, Handre Pollard con 3, pen, Pat Lambie pen.
HT: 21-13
Source: Stuff.co.nz
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