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Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Rugby Championship Test at Ellis Park; the Springboks and the All Blacks have produced two classics here in the past two seasons and there's no reason to expect anything less today. Read our stats review of New Zealand's dominance of the World Rugby Test rankings since their introduction in 2003. The numbers do show, however, that they are more likely to lose to the Springboks in South Africa than against anyone else anywhere else.
We appear to have good conditions for running rugby; no excuses for either team.
So good to see Heinrich Brussow back on the Test stage; such a shame to see him shunned for so long because of fears about his size and physique. England fans will surely say "Neil Back" to that argument.
No great surprise that we have "Kapa o Pango" given the circumstances. A mighty challenge.
Here we go, then. Springboks kick off through Handre Pollard. Richie McCaw collects and we have an early penalty with the Boks failing to release the flanker. All Blacks go quick and All Blacks kick deep for Boks lineout.
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| 1 |
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Boks win the lineout but Ruan Pienaar's box kick is weak. Springboks are adjudged to have gone off their feet at a ruck two phases later, and Lima Sopoaga has a chance to open the scoring.
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| 2 |
0 - 3 |
Sweet strike from Lima Sopoaga. Welcome to test rugby.
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| 3 |
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Izzt Dagg clears long and low to Willie Le Roux, who runs. Boks put ball through hands, and Le Roux links with Jesse Kriels on the right.
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| 4 |
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Boks backs continue to attack and Bryan Habana makes a half-break before losing the ball forward.
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| 5 |
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Aaron Smith snipes from the back of the scrum, but his kick two phases later is two deep before the Boks kick deep for territory but the ball goes in goal. Drop-out.
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| 6 |
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Both teams showing great willingness to run and take ball in contact.
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| 7 |
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Brussow and Louw feature wide for the Boks but pass goes awry into touch, where All Blacks look again to keep play moving with a quick throw.
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| 8 |
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Lung-busting opening to the game, with the All Blacks in particular looking to run penalties and take quick taps.
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| 9 |
5 - 3 |
Sensational try. All started after Kieran Read was smothered by Bismarck du Plessis after fielding a looping no-look pass from Izzy Dagg. Ball went wide left first phase from the ensuing ruck, and Jesse Kriel makes a lightning break before feeding Willie le Roux to scythe through the gaps that opened.
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| 10 |
7 - 3 |
Pollard - conversion
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| 11 |
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New Zealand firmly on attack after high kick from Sopoaga. Springboks tried to run wide left but spilled ball and Ben Smith and Liam Messam charge down towards tryline. Boks clear and Charles Piutau puts foot in touch collecting clearance.
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| 13 |
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All Blacks continue to dominate territory through rucks but Boks defence holding firm.
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| 15 |
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NZ have attacking midfield scrum on 22 after Eben Etzebeth comes through a ruck. Come left first phase and then back right where James Broadhurst wins a penalty with a rampaging run. Easy kick but NZ take quick tap only for Conrad Smith to knock on.
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| 17 |
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Springboks clear the damage with a strong scrum at which NZ adjudged to have scrummaged illegally. Great effort from the hosts.
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| 18 |
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Big bust from Schalk Burger in midfield cutting back against the grain in first phase attack from a lineout on halfway.
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| 19 |
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Springboks continue to challenge the All Blacks with powerful runs and offloads before the ball goes into touch under advantage after a high tackle from Liam Messam on Jesse Kriel.
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| 20 |
10 - 3 |
Damian de Allende and Jesse kriel have been strong for South Africa in the opening quarter, linking well with Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussow. South Africa have certainly weathered the All Blacks attempt to put them off their game with a wide and fast game plan.
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| 22 |
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Springboks take a free kick quickly and threaten on the right after putting ball through hands at pass, only to concede a penalty at the ruck, and Lima Sopoaga roosts the ball from inside NZ 22 to RSA 10m. Free kick NZ for lineout offence, awarded after their handling in the backs lets them down. Just execution the difference right now.
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| 24 |
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South Africa seem to have just a little more time and space in attacking; All Blacks looking just a little rushed as they attempt to play at pace.
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| 25 |
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Heavy scrummage from New Zealand and Kieran Read gets well over the advantage line. Lima sopoaga also takes the ball to the line, but Ma'a Nonu fails to release in next phase in gang tackle, and chance lost. Boks clear to halfway and then win short lineout.
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| 26 |
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Phase play and Handre Pollard kicks deep for territory, but Charles Piutau collects and clears back to halfway.
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| 27 |
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Boks win that lineout and Willie le Roux kicks perfectly from halfway for lineout inside 5m, but All Blacks win the set-piece and clear.
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| 28 |
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South Africa have 60% territory and possession right now, but Kieran Read steals that lineout and New Zealand attack left until Jannie du Plessis steals a breakdown on halfway.
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| 30 |
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Lood de Jager making good ground every time he gets the ball in loose play, and Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux are linking brilliantly with the fullback appearing as the pivot's first receiver - particularly when the Boks attack left.
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| 31 |
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Tony Woodcock adjudged not to have left a ruck and Handre Pollard going for goals from inside his own half, but the kick never has the length necessary.
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| 32 |
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New Zealand launch a stunning counter-attack through a broken-field break from Charles Piutau, linking with Ben Smith, and they win a penalty after Heinrich Brussow leaves his feet at the ruck just outside the 22.
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| 33 |
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Lima Sopoaga misses to the right of the posts, from wide right.
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| 34 |
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South Africa have dominated the breakdown, much as they did for the first 50-60 minutes, and they're making big metres with runners one and two out from the ruck. They're are stealing NZ ball, and then launching attacks given greater impetus with brilliant flat passing from de Allende to Kriel.
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| 36 |
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Big kick from le Roux but Dagg and Ben Smith launch a rapier counter on the right flank. ABs swing ball left where Broadhurst takes the ball into contact, as he does so often, only to be held up in the tackle. Scrum South Africa inside their own 22.
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| 37 |
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Pollard clears deep past NZ 10m, where Piutau takes quick lineout to start multi-phase attack until Bismarck du Plessis steals the pill on halfway.
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| 38 |
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Springboks use Willie le Roux at first receiver, and he feeds Damian de Allende, who bumps three tackles. Feed the ball left where Willie le Roux is involved twice including one pass back inside to de Jager before the ball goes into touch for a NZ lineout inside their 22.
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| 39 |
10 - 8 |
Oh that is glorious from New Zealand, stealing the ball after a contested kick. NZ steal the turnover and counter from inside their own half, with Lima Sopoaga busting through from an inside ball from Ma'a Nonu. The fly-half feed a basketball over-the-top pass to Ben Smith on the win, and the flyer cross the line untouched and strolls round towards the posts.
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| 40 |
10 - 10 |
Stunning first half in Johannesburg. As good as you'll get anywhere in the world this year.
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| 40 |
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Under way from Lima Sopoaga, and Brodie Retallick collects to set up an attack. Three phases and Kieran Read makes a break only to cough possession in the ruck, where Heinrich Brussow effects the turnover after Francois Louw had made a big tackle.
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| 42 |
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South Africa clear to halfway and win the lineout. Three phases later and Warren Whiteley roaming wide links inside with Willie le Roux who chips ahead.
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| 43 |
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Charles Piutau comes across and collects brilliantly then evades le Roux and Habana to clear.
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| 44 |
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We're back down on the NZ 22 after Pollard kicks the penalty awarded for offside against Ma'a Nonu.
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| 45 |
15 - 10 |
Oh. My. Word. Springboks attacking from halfway and Handre Pollard feeds a flat pass to Jesse Kriel on an angle to scythe through three All Blacks and then power to the tryline under the black dot. Truly we have scene the emergence in the past two weeks of a special talent in Jesse Kriel, and the foundation of a brilliant midfield partnership.
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| 46 |
17 - 10 |
Pollard - conversion
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| 48 |
17 - 15 |
All Blacks attack through phase play from a scrum and Malakai Fekitoa steps his midfield rivals to creat a gap that Dane Coles powers through for the equalising score.
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| 49 |
17 - 17 |
Sopoaga - conversion
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| 51 |
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Interesting scrummaging there from NZ, with Victor Vito effectively a fourth front-rower.
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| 52 |
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South Africa have a great attackling opportunity with a lineout deep inside the NZ 22 after Ruan Pienaar roosts massively a quick penalty.
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| 53 |
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Boks win the lineout and roll a maul to win another penalty. Kick to the 5m line. Boks win the lineout and then go quickly peeling off the back. Lood de Jager has gone close in reaching out like Inspector Gadget from the bottom of the ruck, but it looks short.
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| 54 |
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Grounded short, and scrum five South Africa.
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| 55 |
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Schalk goes strongly off the back without looking like clearing the advantage line. Phase play and Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard and Burger go close. NZ hold on but concede offside penalty.
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| 56 |
20 - 17 |
Easy goal from Pollard just to right of posts.
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| 57 |
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Willie le Roux launches a length-of-the-field counter with a broken-field run, feeding Ruan Pienaar to right and the collecting scrum-half's chip. Boks come left where Warren Whiteley make a bust and then pust the ball through hands right.
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| 59 |
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Sam Whitelock effects a big tackle but he's yellow-carded for refusing to let the ball go. Desperation stakes from the All Blacks. They're trailing by just three points but scoreline possibly seems to flatter them. Boks go for the scrum in Whitelock's absence. NZ scrum collapses immediately, but they hold up the Boks' drive under advantage.
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| 60 |
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Boks to scrummage again. Go close through Schalk Burger but Vincent Koch spills the ball with the line gaping.
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| 62 |
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Aaron Smith clears easily from an uncontested scrum after Trevor Nyakane comes on as non-specialised tight-head. All Blacks have done brilliantly well to emerge from that pressure without conceding any points. Mark of champions.
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| 63 |
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Aaron Smith sporting claret on he face after a clash with Bryan Habana, and Lima Sopoaga has opportunity to level scores after penalised at breakdown.
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| 64 |
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Sopoaga pulls his kick badly left.
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| 65 |
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Springboks go wide first phase off another uncontested scrum, and win a penalty after Conrad Smith tackles Jesse Kriel early. Boks win ensuing lineout inside NZ 10m, but attacks come to nought. NZ win lineout after Ruan Pienaar kicks for touch and Malakai fekitoa makes huge bust in midfield but is unable to round Pat Lambie as the last line of defence on halfway.
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| 69 |
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NZ continue to concede penalties, with Ben Franks pinged for a shoulder charge at a ruck.
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| 70 |
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South Africa lose their third lineout of the game and New Zealand attack immediately to the left through phases and runners in tight.
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| 71 |
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Up to eight phases now under advantage for an offence at a breakdown. They come back right and go left, making ground, and Piutau dances towards the line inside the 5m.
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| 72 |
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Wonderful attack from New Zealand, who are held up over the line. They go back for a second penalty awarded at a breakdown. Kick for a 5m lineout.
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| 73 |
20 - 22 |
Wonderful set-move try from Richie McCaw, who moves forward from the halfback position to take the throw and cross unopposed when everyone was expecting a rolling maul.
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| 74 |
20 - 24 |
Vital conversion from Lima Sopoaga, who puts New Zealand out past a penalty goal.
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| 76 |
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All Blacks now deep in RSA territory, But Lima Sopoaga can't find Charles Piutau with a cutout pass. Line was gaping but ball goes into touch.
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| 78 |
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New Zealand running down the clock brilliantly with a succession of pick-and-go drives deep in Springboks territory before winning another penalty.
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| 80 |
20 - 27 |
Lima Sopoaga splits the post as the siren goes, and New Zealand have won yet another riveting match.
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