South Africa surged back into what many call rugby's most storied rivalry when captain Siya Kolisi, back from injury, crossed the line for a try in a pulsating 33-26 win over New Zealand in Cape Town, tying the four‑match series at one apiece. The encounter was a showcase of attacking flair, with both sides combining for a total of seven tries. For the Springboks, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and Kolisi each found the try line, while the All Blacks responded through Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie and Leroy Carter.
Yet it was the precision of wing Cheslin Kolbe, who slotted 18 points from the tee, that ultimately tipped the balance in South Africa's favour. All Blacks skipper Ardie Savea added a late fourth try – his 33rd in Test rugby – as New Zealand finished the match with four tries to South Africa's three. Despite the extra score, the visitors could not overcome Kolbe's flawless kicking, which proved the decisive factor in a tightly contested game. Savea had warned before kickoff that the New Zealand side would be facing a "wounded beast," but the Springboks answered with immediate aggression.
Kriel broke through inside the opening two minutes, only for Roigard to equalise midway through the first quarter, setting the tone for a high‑tempo contest. Kolbe's opening penalty, followed by de Allende's try just before the 20‑minute mark, re‑established South African momentum. McKenzie's conversion kept the All Blacks within striking distance, but Kolisi's try on the stroke of halftime gave the hosts a 24-14 lead heading into the break.
The second half saw Kolbe extend the lead with two quick penalties, pushing the advantage to more than two scores. Although Carter's unconverted try offered the All Blacks a glimmer of hope, Kolbe's fourth successful penalty effectively sealed the match for South Africa. "We know last week we let it slip," Kolbe, who was named player of the match, reflected.
"We could feel the energy from the fans, and we wanted to make our jersey and families proud. In Test rugby you take every point you can, and we stuck to the plan and capitalised on every opportunity." Savea acknowledged that the slow start cost the All Blacks dearly.
"We let the Springboks get ahead in the first two minutes and then we were chasing the game. We fought hard but fell short.
It's a tough pill to swallow, but we haven't lost the war. We'll regroup and come back stronger," he said. The New Zealand captain also paid tribute to milestone players: Pieter‑Steph du Toit, who celebrated his 100th cap, and Ox Nche, who marked his 50th appearance for the All Blacks. Kolisi, returning to the captaincy after missing the opening test, praised his side's resilience.
"Last week we missed our chances, but this week we seized them. Coach Rassie always reminds us that this is about the whole country, not just the players. The mood was low after the first match, but we turned it around.
Next week will be huge – some of us will be playing in Soweto for the first time. It's a challenge to play the same opponent four times in a row, and we know the stakes are high," he explained.
A loss would have handed South Africa consecutive home defeats for the first time since 2015, but Erasmus' squad left Cape Town with renewed confidence as they prepared to travel to Johannesburg for the next encounter. The build‑up to the Cape Town test was anything but stable. Erasmus made five alterations to his original lineup after Handre Pollard and Kurt‑Lee Arendse withdrew on the Friday before the match. This forced a late recall of fly‑half Sacha Feinberg‑Mngomezulu, who had been dropped only a week earlier, and saw Kolbe shifted onto the wing in the starting XV.
An hour before kickoff, further changes saw Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit promoted to the starting front row, pushing Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche and Wilco Louw onto the bench without any public explanation. On a brighter note, Kolisi reclaimed the captaincy, and du Toit celebrated his centennial cap, underscoring the blend of experience and fresh leadership within the Springbok camp.
New Zealand also made three adjustments from their Ellis Park victory. Leroy Carter replaced Josh Moorby on the wing, while George Bower and Tupou Vaa'i were brought into the forward pack to replace the concussed Ethan de Groot and Josh Lord. Fly‑half Ruben Love retained his jersey, with former star Beauden Barrett omitted from the match‑day squad. The All Blacks' earlier five‑try, 33‑16 win in Johannesburg had propelled them to the top of the world rankings, giving Dave Rennie's side an early edge in what is the first full‑test series between the two nations in three decades.
South Africa's response in Cape Town not only leveled the series but also extended a formidable home record that has seen them lose only one series on home soil in the past thirty years. The tour, billed as "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry," marks New Zealand's first comprehensive visit to South Africa since 1996.
The visitors arrived unbeaten, having dispatched the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls, and narrowly escaped with a win over the Lions in a mid‑week clash in Johannesburg. The series now shifts to the iconic FNB Stadium for the third test on September 5, before concluding with a historic inaugural meeting on American soil at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on September 12. All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with kickoff times listed for the UK and Ireland.
Fans can also relive every minute of the All Blacks' South African tour via Sky Sports' streaming platform, offering contract‑free access to the full suite of rugby action and related sports coverage.