09/05/26 12:59:00
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09/05 12:57 CDT South Africa outmuscles New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 rugby
series lead
South Africa outmuscles New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 rugby series lead
JOHANNESBURG (AP) --- South Africa imposed its forward power on New Zealand and
won a pulsating third test 29-24 to snatch a 2-1 lead in their historic rugby
series on Saturday.
The comeback from losing the first test ensured the Springboks cannot lose the
series. They have a chance next Saturday in the fourth and final match in
Baltimore to clinch their first series victory over the All Blacks since 1976.
The Springboks didn't lead until an hour in on the back of their influential
scrum, then sealed the win with a long, energy-sapping lineout maul that
finished with Malcolm Marx diving between the posts and thumping the ground in
joy.
For the first time in the series, they matched New Zealand for tries --- four
each --- and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu replaced injured goalkicker Cheslin
Kolbe to land two conversions and a penalty.
His success contrasted starkly with Ruben Love missing seven points off the
tee. Also, crucially, New Zealand captain Ardie Savea scored a pair of tries
but was lost to injury after 30 minutes, costing the All Blacks their leading
physical presence.
They can still rescue a series draw against the pre-tour odds next weekend but
they will rue careless errors that gave hope back to South Africa.
A 17-12 lead evaporated when a missed tackle by Leroy Carter allowed South
Africa's Jesse Kriel to stroll in untouched. The two-point lead then became
nine with 14 minutes to go. A kick over the deadball line led to the maul and
Marx try that energized the Boks in front of their biggest crowd of the tour
--- 85,976 --- while deflating the All Blacks.
"They got on top of us," stand-in skipper Luke Jacobson said. "That lineout
maul try ..."
A breathless end-to-end first half finished 12-12.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu was fortunate to concede a yellow card and not a penalty
try for a deliberate knockdown in the same New Zealand attack that forced off
Kolbe for a head knock.
Moments later, a wrecking ball run by New Zealand hooker Asafo Aumua set up
Savea, whose 34th try made him the forward with the most in men's
internationals.
South Africa held out with 14 men and managed to score when Damian de Allende
gave right winger Kurt-Lee Arendse an overlap try.
Savea's second try featured a big sidestep by Tupou Vaa'i in his 50th test and
Savea's skip pass to Carter. Feinberg-Mngomezulu played the ball out of the
ruck and Savea swept it up on the run to score.
Five minutes later, Savea was helped off the field, clutching his ribs,
bringing in Wallace Sititi, whose sister Amarante also came off the bench and
scored in the New Zealand women's 52-20 win over South Africa in the
curtain-raiser.
New Zealand spent the last 10 minutes under siege and Love was yellow-carded.
The South Africa scrum, already menacing, earned a tying penalty try when a
pushover attempt was interfered with.
But with new props, New Zealand earned a scrum penalty for what referee Nika
Amashukeli said was South Africa walking around. But Love missed the 52-meter
kick.
Love also missed converting a try by Will Jordan, whose chip was collected by
Carter, who popped up for the trailing Jordan to grab his 54th try.
At that point, South Africa replaced captain Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Ox
Nch and New Zealand got careless.
___
See AP's full rugby coverage here
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