British referee Matthew Carley gestures after awarding a penalty to New Zealand as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi reacts during their Rugby Championship Test match in Cape Town British referee Matthew Carley gestures after awarding a penalty to New Zealand as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi reacts during their Rugby Championship Test match in Cape Town. Photo: Rodger Bosch/AFP
The Springboks kept their perfect record in this year’s Rugby Championship when they beat the All Blacks 18-12 at the Cape Town Stadium in the Mother City on Saturday night.
The win means the Springboks are within a whisker of claiming their first Rugby Championship title since 2019.
IOL Sport takes a look at five things to take away from the Test match in Cape Town.
Siya Kolisi was very clear about what the goal was for the Springboks this week 🙌
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 7, 2024
They lift the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009 🏆#TRC2024 pic.twitter.com/btpGjNp6C0
There were just too many handling errors in this game — from both teams. Just when the Boks looked like they were getting momentum in their attacks, the ball was coughed up, surrendering possession. This is definitely an area of the game that Tony Brown will need to look at a little more.
The All Blacks were at the breakdown a lot quicker than the Springboks, resulting in a lot of turnovers and penalties. The breakdown is usually one of the Springboks’ strengths in years gone by. But after Saturday’s game, they’ll need to have a lot more talks on the training field.
When the Springboks won the World Cup last year, the lineout was one aspect of their game they could rely on to get forward ball. On Saturday, however, they uncharacteristically lost a number of their own throw ins. It shouldn’t be a train smash, though as Ruan Nortje, still relatively new to the group, will get better with more time.
Cheslin Kolbe is just electric 😤
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 7, 2024
📺 Stream #TRC2024 on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/KAvCKI1fLj
Throughout the week, it was implied that the All Blacks will have a lot of supporters in the stadium. However, the stadium was a sea of green, with a handful of black jerseys scatters throughout the stands.
Saturday’s game was not a classic. There were mistakes all over the park, but in the end, the Springboks did enough to walk away with a win, their fourth in the Rugby Championship, and their fourth in a row against their great rivals.
IOL Sport
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