New Zealand win title despite South Africa’s victory

New Zealand claimed the 2022 Rugby Championship title after South Africa could only secure a 38-21 victory over Argentina at Kings Park Stadium in Durban.

The Springboks needed a bonus-point triumph and a 39-point gap between them and Los Pumas to usurp the All Blacks in the table but they came up against a resilient side.

Jacques Nienaber’s men started well enough as they moved 17-0 in front thanks to Jasper Wiese and Siya Kolisi tries, with Frans Steyn adding two conversions and a penalty, but the visitors hit back to end their dreams.

When Gonzalo Bertranou and Juan Martin Gonzalez touched down either side of the interval, it effectively made the task impossible.

Two penalty tries and a late score for Kurt-Lee Arendse sealed the win but it was ultimately a frustrating day for the Springboks.

Knowing that they needed tries, there was more ambition in the Boks’ play in Durban.  They looked to move the ball through the hands and off-load in contact, but unsurprisingly there were far too many errors.

In fact, once the hosts began to simplify matters, they created chances.  The key parts of their game ― the scrum, lineout and maul ― started to function, while they dominated at the breakdown.

Any time Argentina had the ball, which was few and far between, Malcolm Marx and co.  went to work at the contact area, resulting in consistent pressure on the visiting defence.

Los Pumas were regularly infringing and eventually referee Damon Murphy got fed up of their constant indiscretions, resulting in a yellow card for Marcos Kremer.

With the back-row off the field South Africa scored their first try when a scrum marched towards the line, giving Wiese the simple task of touching down.

Kremer then returned but almost immediately the South Americans were back down to 14 as Gonzalez was sin-binned.

A try for Kolisi soon followed and the hosts were edging towards the points total they needed, especially when Steyn added a long-range three-pointer.

Argentina had not been in the game but towards the end of the first half they found some rhythm.  The visitors went through the phases and Bertranou found a gap to snipe, crossing the whitewash from close range.

Despite that score, South Africa still had the chance to overturn the points differential to the All Blacks, but Los Pumas had upped their game and altered the momentum.

Impressive response from Argentina

All of a sudden, the Springboks were struggling to gain possession and territory, and Michael Cheika’s men manufactured a brilliant second try.

They shifted play out to the left where Gonzalez was lurking.  The athletic back-row still had plenty to do but he superbly stepped Willie le Roux to scamper clear and reduce the arrears to three points.

South Africa’s title aspirations were slipping away, even after they were awarded a penalty try.  Jeronimo de la Fuente was sin-binned for his role in that score but the hosts could not find the quality they needed to add to their tally.

Instead, Argentina got back on the front foot and, following yellow cards for Eben Etzebeth and Faf de Klerk, Matias Moroni reduced the arrears with 13 minutes remaining.

The concern for the Springboks had suddenly moved from claiming the title to actually winning the game, but they managed to muster a response as a penalty try and last-minute Arendse effort sealed a pretty hollow victory.

All Blacks boost title hopes with win over Wallabies

The All Blacks took a giant step towards retaining their Rugby Championship title when they clinched a 40-14 victory over the Wallabies at Eden Park on Saturday.

New Zealand started the game level on points with South Africa in the overall standings, and with a 13-point advantage over the world champions, but with them sealing a bonus-point victory ― with a big winning margin ― it means the Springboks will have to beat Argentina by 40 points or more in Durban, if they are to overhaul Ian Foster’s men.

In the end, the All Blacks outscored the Wallabies by five tries to two with Will Jordan, Sam Whitelock, Codie Taylor and Samisoni Taukei’aho crossing the whitewash and they were also awarded a penalty try, while Richie Mo’unga finished with a 13-point haul courtesy of three penalties and two conversions.

For Australia, Folau Fainga’a and Jordan Petaia scored tries and their other points came courtesy of conversions from Bernard Foley and Reece Hodge.

The match started at a frenetic pace with the Wallabies doing the early attacking but they were reduced to 14 men in the second minute when Jed Holloway was sent to the sin bin for taking Dalton Papali’i beyond the horizontal.

The All Blacks were soon on the attack deep inside their opponents’ 22 but the visitors kept them at bay with a solid defensive effort and there were no points scored during Holloway’s stint off the field.

The next 20 minutes was an arm wrestle as both sides battled to gain the ascendancy but the All Blacks eventually opened the scoring in the 22nd minute via a Mo’unga penalty.  And shortly afterwards they extended their lead when Jordan found himself in space just outside Australia’s 22 before gliding through a gap in their defence on his way over the try-line.

That try was a shot in the arm for the home side, who continued to build pressure inside Australia’s half and they were rewarded in the 27th minute when referee Andrew Brace awarded them a penalty try.  This, after the All Blacks launched a lineout drive close to the Wallabies’ try-line which was pulled down illegally by Dave Porecki, who was also sent to the sin bin for his indiscretion.

The Wallabies needed to respond and they thought they had reduced the deficit on the half-hour mark when Marika Koroibete dotted down in the left-hand corner but his effort was disallowed when television replays revealed that he had a foot in touch in the build-up.

The All Blacks continued to hold an edge and, although they couldn’t build on their lead, they had their tails up with the score 17-0 in their favour at half-time.

All Blacks dominance continues in second half

The hosts continued to dominate after the interval and extended their lead in the 43rd minute when Whitelock crossed for their third try, after barging over from close quarters under the posts.

Mo’unga added the extras, as well as a penalty in the 47th minute, before Taylor crossed off the back of a lineout drive to give his team a 32-0 lead.  On the hour mark, the Wallabies finally opened their account when Pete Samu made a break down the left-hand touchline before throwing an inside pass which was knocked backwards by Jordan and Fainga’a gathered before crossing the whitewash.

Despite that score, the All Blacks did not panic and struck back with Taukei’aho’s five-pointer ― scored in similar fashion to Taylor’s off a lineout drive out wide.  Mo’unga failed to convert but slotted a penalty in the 76th minute to put more daylight between his team and the Springboks on the Rugby Championship table.

The Wallabies finished stronger, however, and were rewarded with a consolation try from Petaia in the game’s closing stages ― a score which could be significant in the grander scheme of things as it made the Boks’ task a little easier in their upcoming clash against the Pumas.

Springboks made to graft for victory over Pumas

The Springboks were made to work hard before securing a 36-20 triumph against a spirited Argrentina side in their Rugby Championship Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Despite delivering a dominant first half performance, the Boks went off the boil after half-time and allowed the Pumas to come back into the match before late tries from Damian de Allende and Malcolm Marx secured them the result and an important bonus point.

Marx scored another try for the visitors in the first half and their other points came via a five-pointer from Jaden Hendrikse, a conversion and a penalty from Damian Willemse, two conversions from Frans Steyn as well as a penalty try.

For Argentina, Matias Moroni crossed the whitewash and they were also awarded a penalty try, while Emiliano Boffelli slotted a couple of penalties and a conversion.

The opening exchanges were cagey with the teams feeling each other out before Argentina took an early lead courtesy of a long range penalty from Boffelli in the ninth minute.

The Boks were soon camped inside the Pumas’ half and drew level two minutes later courtesy of a Willemse penalty, after the home side infringed on defence.

The visitors were slowly gaining the ascendancy and midway through the half had the Pumas on the back foot as they set up several phases inside their 22.  The ball was shifted wide to Canan Moodie, who was stopped just short of the try-line before Hendrikse gathered and went over but he failed to ground the ball after a desperate tackle from Santiago Carreras.

However, after checking television replays, referee James Doleman ruled that Carreras tackled Hendrikse from an offside position and awarded a penalty try to the Boks, while the Pumas fly-half was also sent to the sin bin for his indiscretion.

South Africa made full use of their numerical advantage and, despite another Boffelli penalty, scored two quickfire tries during Carreras’ stint on the sidelines.  First, Hendrikse glided through a gaping hole deep inside Argentina territory after Marx did well in the build-up with a powerful carry.  And on the half-hour mark, the Bok hooker got his name onto the scoreboard when he dotted down off the back of a lineout drive inside Argentina’s 22.

Just before half-time, the hosts were reduced to 14 men again when Gonzalo Bertranou was yellow carded for repeated infringements from his team when he was caught offside on defence.

South Africa put the resulting penalty into touch close to Argentina’s try-line but, although Lood de Jager went over the whitewash, his effort was chalked off as Franco Mostert had knocked on in the build-up.  Despite that, South Africa were on a high when they went into the sheds at half-time as they held a deserved 22-6 lead.

Argentina’s fightback

The Pumas came out firing after the interval but, despite an improved performance, they were still committing too many unforced errors.  However, the Boks were also guilty of that, especially on defence, and in the 60th minute Willie le Roux received a yellow card when he was caught offside deep inside his 22.

The Pumas spent most of the next 10 minutes camped inside the Boks’ half and they too were rewarded with a penalty try after Kwagga Smith prevented Tomas Cubelli from scoring with a high tackle.  Smith also received his marching orders for his offence which meant South Africa played with 13 men for a brief period.  And during that time Moroni crossed for their second try after great work from Marcos Kremer in the build-up.

Boffelli added the extras which meant South Africa held a narrow 22-20 lead, but they held their composure when De Allende powered through two tackles before scoring their fourth try in the 75th minute.  They still needed another five-pointer to clinch the bonus point and that came in the dying moments when Marx gathered an inside pass from Makazole Mapimpi before crashing over in the left-hand corner.

All Blacks win Bledisloe Cup for 20th year in a row

New Zealand secured the Bledisloe Cup for the 20th successive year and consolidated their position at the top of the Rugby Championship table courtesy of a 39-37 triumph over Australia in Melbourne on Thursday.

In a drama-filled contest, in which the result was in the balance until the end, the Wallabies thought they had clinched a stunning comeback victory when Nic White landed a long range penalty in the 78th minute before the All Blacks struck late with the match-winning try from Jordie Barrett in the game’s dying moments.

The teams had momentum at various stages of a brutal encounter which proved costly for both sides.  The All Blacks lost the services of their captain, Sam Cane, and David Havili, who both failed HIAs while Quinn Tupaea also limped off with a knee injury.  Meanwhile, Wallabies skipper James Slipper and Rob Leota were forced off the field with calf injuries.

In the end, New Zealand outscored their hosts by five tries to four with Samisoni Taukei’aho leading the way with a brace while Richie Mo’unga, Will Jordan and Barrett scored their other five-pointers.  Mo’unga also succeeded with four conversions and two penalties to finish with a 19-point haul.

For Australia, Andrew Kellaway (2), Rob Valetini and Pete Samu crossed the whitewash with Bernard Foley adding four conversions and two penalties and White also succeeded with a three-pointer off the kicking tee.

There was some pre-match drama when the Wallabies lined up in a boomerang shape before advancing on the All Blacks, while they were doing the Haka, but the home side were soon on the back foot as Jed Holloway failed to gather the ball from the kick off.  New Zealand went on the attack and set up a lineout drive from which Taukei’aho crossed for the opening try.

Mo’unga added the extras and extended his side’s lead to 10 points when he slotted a penalty before Foley reduced the deficit with a penalty of his own in the 18th minute.

With points on the board, the Wallabies’ confidence grew and midway through the half they thought they had their opening try when Kellaway crossed the whitewash.  However, it was ruled out after television replays revealed that Rieko Ioane did brilliantly to get his hands under the ball while the full-back tried to ground it.

Despite that setback, Australia did not panic and shortly afterwards they received a penalty and set up a lineout inside New Zealand’s 22.  They launched a maul which was stopped close to the try-line by Dalton Papali’i but the ball was recycled quickly and Valetini dotted down with two defenders on his back.

Papali’i received a yellow card after referee Mathieu Raynal ruled that he had stopped that maul illegally, while Foley slotted the conversion which meant the scores were level and the hosts had a spring in their step during the latter stages of the half.

There was plenty of drama during that period, though, as Tom Wright was yellow carded for a professional foul inside his 22 while Raynal also sent Darcy Swain to the sin bin for taking out Tupaea with a shoulder charge to his knee at a ruck which resulted in the All Blacks centre leaving the field for the rest of the match.

The visitors made a fine start to the second half when shortly after the restart Kellaway was caught in possession just inside his half.  The All Blacks won a turnover before shifting the ball to Taukei’aho close to the 22-metre line and he did brilliantly to shrug off three defenders on his way over.

Ten minutes later, the Wallabies received another yellow card after Jake Gordon too collapsed a maul illegally in his 22.  The All Blacks made full use of their one-man advantage soon after Gordon’s exit with Mo’unga waltzing through the Wallabies’ defence to score his five-pointer.  Beauden Barrett then delivered a perfectly weighted chip kick which Jordan gathered close to the halfway line before outpacing the cover defence to cross for his team’s fourth try in the 55th minute.

Wallabies fightback before crazy ending

With the score 31-13 in New Zealand’s favour, Australia needed a response and it came in the form of two tries in quick succession from Kellaway after excellent work from Foley on both occasions.

Another Mo’unga penalty gave his team a 34-27 lead before the Wallabies struck back with a brilliant try from Samu out wide with Foley’s superb conversion drawing his side level in the 72nd minute.

The match was far from done, though, as White slotted a 48-metre penalty to give his side an unlikely lead, but there would be a crazy ending when Raynal awarded a penalty to Australia in the 79th minute.  That happened close to their try-line but, when Foley took his time to kick for touch, the referee awarded a scrum to the All Blacks after ruling that Foley had wasted time.

From the resulting set-piece, New Zealand launched an attack and the ball was shifted out wide where Barrett crossed in the right-hand corner for the match-winning try.

Springboks end Australian hoodoo with superb win

South Africa got their Rugby Championship campaign back on track after they produced a dominant display to defeat the Wallabies 24-8 in Sydney for their first win on Australian soil since 2013.

The Springboks were excellent throughout, controlling possession and territory and moving in front via Damian de Allende’s early try.

Noah Lolesio did reduce the deficit via a penalty but Canan Moodie’s debut score deservedly gave the visitors a 12-3 advantage at the interval.

It was a lead they would not relinquish as they continued to put Australia under the pump, with Franco Mostert and Makazole Mapimpi securing a fine bonus-point triumph, despite Pete Samu’s consolation.

After successive defeats in the Rugby Championship, Jacques Nienaber demanded a response and he received it.  Despite being without stars Lukhanyo Am and Pieter-Steph du Toit, they were outstanding and utterly dominated the opening exchanges.

The forwards were physical and abrasive, controlling the set-piece battle, while inexperienced half-backs Jaden Hendrikse and Damian Willemse were also impressive.

It was Hendrikse’s efficiency from the base which set up the first try as he constantly shifted the point of contract in the opposition 22.  Australia were manful in defence but they eventually folded as De Allende touched down from close range.

Matt Philip was sin-binned after the Wallabies infringed several times in the build-up to that try and South Africa remained in the ascendency, but they initially failed to add to their lead.

Their profligacy was an issue last week and there would have been concerns after they spurned further chances in Sydney, especially when the hosts got on the board through a Lolesio penalty, but the Springboks managed to stay on the front foot.

They were in complete control and finally extended their advantage through Moodie’s score late in the half.  Hendrikse’s inch-perfect box-kick was matched by the chase and leap of the debutant, who rose above Marika Koroibete, brilliantly collected and surged across the whitewash.

Dave Rennie needed a vast improvement from his players in the second period but it failed to materialise as they struggled to get out of their own half.

Brutal performance

The Springboks were simply brutal in contact, constantly sending their opponents into reverse in both defence and attack, but they also found some subtlety.

South Africa’s third try was a thing of beauty.  Hendrikse was once again superb in dictating the tempo before forwards and backs combined to send Mostert scampering over.

Willemse, for the second time in the match, missed a difficult conversion, but it did not matter and they secured the win when Willie le Roux sent Mapimpi away, who held off Koroibete to score.

The Bok wing, in rather petulant fashion, reacted to his opposite number for some unbeknown reason, which set off both sets of players.

After it had calmed down, Mapimpi was correctly handed a yellow card and Le Roux then followed him off the field late in the encounter, but by that point the result had already been decided, despite Samu’s consolation.

All Blacks bounce back with easy win over Argentina

New Zealand returned to the victory trail in the Rugby Championship after they sealed a 53-3 bonus-point triumph over Argentina in Hamilton on Saturday.

As the scoreline suggests, the All Blacks dominated proceedings for long periods and eventually scored seven tries, with Ethan de Groot, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett all crossing the whitewash.

Their other points came via four conversions and two penalties from Richie Mo’unga while Jordie Barrett also succeeded with a couple of conversions.  For Argentina, Emiliano Boffelli slotted a penalty.

The match started with heavy rain pelting down but, despite the atrocious weather conditions, the All Blacks opted to keep the ball in hand and were rewarded for their attacking endeavour.

Argentina were on the back foot from the outset as from the kick off Tomas Lavanini knocked on and the All Blacks were soon on the attack inside Argentina’s 22.  The visitors were penalised for straying offside on defence and Mo’unga made no mistake from the kicking tee.

New Zealand’s handling was outstanding in the wet weather and shortly afterwards De Groot crashed over for the opening try after gathering a well-timed pass from Aaron Smith.  The All Blacks continued to dominate and midway through the half Clarke rounded off out wide after good work from Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett and Ioane in the build-up.

Argentina struggled to build momentum as they committed a plethora of handling errors but in the 32nd minute Boffelli scored their only points via a penalty after the All Blacks infringed on defence.

Despite that score, everything seemed to be going wrong for the visitors and they were reduced to 14 men in the 35th minute when Lavanini was yellow carded for not retreating 10 metres when making a tackle on Savea, who took a quick tap penalty inside Argentina’s 22.

Just before half-time, the All Blacks launched an attack from a scrum deep inside Argentina territory and Ioane cantered in under the posts after running onto a pass from David Havili.

Mo’unga added the extras which meant the hosts had their tails up with the score 24-3 in their favour at the interval.

The All Blacks had the better of the second half’s early exchanges and extended their lead when Mo’unga added another penalty in the 46th minute, after several Pumas were pinged for offside play.  The visitors needed a response and they were soon camped inside New Zealand’s 22 but, despite hammering away at the home side’s try-line, they would not be rewarded.

In the 57th minute, Argentina launched a lineout drive on New Zealand’s five-metre line but the maul was halted illegally by Fletcher Newell, who was yellow carded for his indiscretion.

Strong All Blacks finish

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the All Blacks stayed true to their attacking roots and on the hour-mark Ioane made a superb line break before his progress was halted deep inside Argentina’s half.  The ball was recycled quickly before full-back captain Sam Cane offloaded to full-back Barrett, who crossed for their fourth try.

New Zealand’s continued to dominate during the game’s latter stages and further tries from Savea and Retallick followed which meant they held a 46-3 lead.

The All Blacks did not take their foot off the pedal and their half century came up in injury time when Beauden Barrett went over for their seventh and final try after Savea launched an attack off the back of a scrum deep inside Argentina’s 22.