Springboks Reign Supreme After Epic Win Over All Blacks in Baltimore
The Springboks were crowned champions of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry after producing a sensational second-half display to overcome the All Blacks 43-28 in a thrilling showdown in Baltimore.
The Boks dominated for much of the game and finally put daylight between themselves and a brave but ultimately outgunned All Blacks team with an emphatic 26-14 second half performance in front of a heavily green-tinged 68,173 crowd – a record for a rugby match in the USA.
It was a fitting result and performance in Bok coach Rassie Erasmus’s 100th Test guiding the playing affairs of the men in green and gold – an eighth win in the last 10 tests against the All Blacks – and concluded an intense series with a statement performance. cat-cross.com
The Boks outscored the All Blacks in tries (six to four) for the first time in the series with heroic performances across the field, with scrumhalf Morne van den Berg being one in a man of the match performance, which also included a conversion.
Damian de Allende, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cameron Hanekom also crossed while Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder, and Beauden Barrett, in the final minute, scoring for New Zealand.
It was a very different outcome to the first Test four weeks ago, when New Zealand took a 33-16 win in Johannesburg. Since then, the Springboks have waxed ever stronger with victories in Cape Town (33-26) and Soweto (29-24) and this 43-28 epic performance.
The Springboks’ intent was obvious from the moment they received the kick off, opting to run the ball from their own 22 – rather than choosing the clearing kick. They made good ground and a couple of phases later as they drove upfield took the first points from a penalty goal by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu after he himself was victim of a high tackle as he surged into contact.
It was short-lived however. The All Blacks punched back with a try by hooker Codie Talyor from a period of sustained pressure. Quick hands, tapped penalties and slick offloads stretched the Boks defence left and right and back again until the dam burst with Taylor running on to a triple-cut-out pass from Cam Roigard to surge through a chink in the defensive wall.
They claimed a second from wing Will Jordan just before halftime in similar fashion. The Boks had held out for an astonishing 32 phases within 10 metres of their own goal-line in only the second period of All Black pressure in the match.
But they were finally breached when the peerless Jordan surged onto the ball to score his fourth try of the series, angling in from his right wing, to cross just to the left of the poles to finally breach the defiant green wall.
The score had broken what had been a Bok siege on All Black territory through much of the half; the problem was they were only able to take seven points from it. They kept the All Blacks penned in their own half for a long period but only had a try by Damian de Allende to show for it; the powerful centre picked up at a goal-line ruck and levered himself through a tackle to score his 13th test try.
Van den Berg’s five-pointer a few minutes later gave the Boks a 17-7 lead before that was cut to just three points with Jordan’s try moments before the break.
The Boks went straight back onto the attack after the restart, rolling on two new props, Lood de Jager and Andre Esterhuizen in place of the workhorses Ruan Nortje and Siya Kolisi.
The fresh legs had an impact as an All Black knock-on in their own 22 led to a scrum penalty; which led to a five-metre lineout which led to a maul; which led to a 29th Test try for Marx – and his eighth against New Zealand. It felt pretty inevitable.
Four minutes later a fourth try gave the Springboks a two score lead but the idea that the game was put to bed was more proved to be an illusion. The try was claimed by Pieter-Steph du Toit, converted by Van den Berg in place of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who limped on for ten more minutes before being replaced.
The All Blacks had barely seen the Springbok half, never mind the 22, but it took only one entry to close the gap once again as the tireless Ethan Blackadder to cut the lead to eight points with 15 minutes remaining.
But it was not to be for the All Blacks. Arendse picked up a loose ball and weaved his way 60 metres to the tryline after Hanekom dislodged the ball from Jordan in a tackle.
Hanekom then pounced on a loose ball as the All Blacks tried to run from their own half before Barrett had the final word. Too little, too late. Game, set and match, Springboks.
Scorers:
Springboks 43 (17) – Tries: Damian De Allende, Morne van den Berg, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cameron Hanekom. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Morne van den Berg, Manie Libbok (2). Penalty goal: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
New Zealand 28 (14) – Tries: Cody Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder, Beauden Barrett. Conversions: Damian McKenzie (4).
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
Image Credit: Springboks/X
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ALG : Chiakha un 12e but… à la Madjer !
L’international algérien Amin Chiakha a signé une nouvelle prestation remarquée, ce samedi, sous les couleurs de Rosenborg. Titularisé face à Tromsø, à l’occasion de la 21e journée du championnat norvégien, l’attaquant algérien a rapidement fait parler son efficacité en inscrivant le deuxième but de son équipe dès la 5e minute. Son coéquipier Selnæs avait ouvert la marque deux minutes plus tôt. Porté par cette entame idéale, Rosenborg a continué à exercer une forte pression sur son adversaire. Cheshchikh a ajouté un troisième but à la 34e minute, avant que Værti ne porte le score à 4-0 juste avant la pause (43e). Malgré une réaction de Tromsø en seconde période, les locaux ont conservé leur avantage et se sont finalement imposés sur le score de 5 buts à 3. Cette nouvelle réalisation permet à Chiakha de porter son bilan à 12 buts en 19 apparitions en championnat cette saison. L’attaquant algérien compte également trois passes décisives, confirmant ainsi son importance dans le dispositif offensif de Rosenborg.
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Bulls, Lions to borrow Griquas hookers
Griquas’ Currie Cup-winning hookers are set to play in next season’s URC following loan requests from the Bulls and Lions.
According to Rapport, Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has approached Griquas about borrowing Janco Uys for the duration of the competition, while the Lions have secured the services of Tiaan Lange.
The pair helped Griquas defend their Currie Cup crown with a 23-16 win against the Pumas in Kimberley on Saturday. Lange started at hooker, with Uys coming off the bench late in the final.
Ackermann is looking to bolster his hooker stocks with Johan Grobbelaar, Marco van Staden and Jan-Hendrik Wessels potentially spending significant time with the Springboks.
Akker van der Merwe has also been sidelined by injury, while Junior Bok Esethu Mnebelele has left the Bulls for the Sharks.
ALSO: Bulls won’t replace Bok lock
Uys is no stranger to Loftus, having previously played for the Bulls, while the 26-year-old also spent time on loan at the Lions last season.
The Bulls’ move for Uys comes with their bid to sign Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx from Japan’s Kubota Spears yet to be finalised.
The Lions, meanwhile, are seeking additional depth following Franco Marais’ retirement and have turned to Lange.
The 24-year-old is expected to join the Joburg-based side for at least the duration of the URC.
Photo: Gallo Images
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FIFA : Infantino sur du sable mouvant (Ahmed Bessol)
Il y a les faits et il y a le récit que certains voudraient en faire. Les faits, eux, sont têtus : la Fédération belge ne soutiendra pas Gianni Infantino pour un nouveau mandat à la tête de la FIFA. Elle dénonce le manque de transparence et les défauts de gouvernance. La Belgique rejoint ainsi la Suède, l’Écosse et l’Italie dans la fronde européenne. Plus grave encore, la RBFA réclame des explications sur le projet, abandonné depuis, d’ouvrir les revenus de la Coupe du monde à des investisseurs privés, ainsi que sur l’affaire Folarin Balogun. Deux dossiers qui, pour les Belges, restent sans réponse.
Pendant ce temps, un autre récit nous explique qu’Infantino aurait repris «du poil de la bête». Ses voyages, ses rencontres avec les dirigeants et les soutiens affichés sur les réseaux sociaux seraient la preuve d’un retour en force. Vraiment ? Être le seul candidat déclaré ne signifie pas être incontesté. Et multiplier les déplacements lorsqu’on est à la fois président de la FIFA et candidat à sa propre succession constitue forcément un avantage que ses adversaires ne possèdent pas.
Il y a aussi l’argent. Celui de la FIFA, celui des programmes de développement, celui qui permet au président sortant de parcourir le monde et de rencontrer les fédérations membres. Il serait évidemment excessif d’affirmer que cet argent finance directement sa campagne. Mais il serait tout aussi naïf d’ignorer le poids politique d’une institution qui distribue des milliards et dont le président sollicite en même temps les voix.
Alors, Infantino reprend-il réellement du terrain ? La Belgique vient de rappeler que, derrière les sourires,
les voyages et les soutiens affichés, les questions de gouvernance, elles, n’ont toujours pas disparu. Et si le terrain se dérobe encore, ce n’est peut-être pas du côté de ses adversaires qu’il faut chercher la réponse.
AHMED BESSOL
L’article FIFA : Infantino sur du sable mouvant (Ahmed Bessol) est apparu en premier sur Foot Afrique.
