South Africa topple the All Blacks again: Springboks take 2-1 lead, Siya Kolisi makes history
South Africa have taken another major step in one of the most important rugby series of the year. On 5 September 2026 at FNB Stadium in Soweto, the Springboks defeated New Zealand 29-24 to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. According to the official SA Rugby report, 85,967 spectators were in the stands, and the home side secured victory after the score was tied 12-12 at half-time and following an exceptionally strong second half. Both teams scored four tries, but South Africa were more successful in the decisive moments, particularly in the scrum, the maul and the closing stages of the match. In addition to the significance of the result, the encounter was also marked by a historic achievement for captain Siya Kolisi, who recorded his 55th victory as Springboks captain and thus moved alone to the top of the South African captains' rankings for the number of wins in Test matches.
The victory in Soweto means that the Springboks can no longer lose the series on aggregate, but the job is not yet finished. The fourth and final Test will be played on 12 September in Baltimore in the United States, where a win or a draw will secure overall victory for South Africa, while New Zealand can still force an overall 2-2 draw. Associated Press notes that a series victory for South Africa would be their first against the All Blacks since 1976, further increasing the significance of the final encounter. The current series is also the centrepiece of the first full New Zealand tour of South Africa since 1996, when the All Blacks achieved a historic 2-1 series victory.
All Blacks start strongly, Springboks respond through physical dominance
New Zealand made the better start to the match and put the hosts under early pressure with the speed of their ball movement and an aggressive attack following a lineout. Captain Ardie Savea scored the first try of the match after a quick move, and Ruben Love converted for 7-0. South Africa's situation became even more complicated when Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu received a yellow card for deliberately interfering with a pass, forcing the Springboks to play part of the opening phase with one player fewer. At the same time, Cheslin Kolbe left the field because of an injury; later reports in the South African media stated that he had suffered a broken jaw, which is expected to rule him out of the final Test in Baltimore. His departure forced the coaching staff into an early reshuffle of the back line and the introduction of Manie Libbok.
The Springboks, however, stayed in the match. Kurt-Lee Arendse finished a well-constructed move following a break by Damian de Allende and reduced the deficit, although the conversion was unsuccessful. Savea soon responded with his second try and took New Zealand to 12-5, confirming how important he was to the tempo and physical power of the visiting side. However, the New Zealand captain was forced off shortly afterwards with a shoulder injury. Sky Sports reported that the injury ended his appearance after he had scored two tries, while New Zealand broadcaster TVNZ reported on 6 September that Savea would not travel to the United States for the fourth Test.
The key to the first half was South Africa's pressure in the scrum. When the Springboks pinned the All Blacks' defence deep near the try line late in the opening 40 minutes, Ruben Love received a yellow card for a deliberate infringement, and the continued pressure ended with a penalty try for South Africa. That levelled the score at 12-12 shortly before half-time. It was an important psychological moment because the All Blacks had controlled the tempo for much of the first half but had failed to establish a margin that reflected their early initiative.
Jordan restores New Zealand's lead, Kriel responds immediately
The second half again brought a spell in which New Zealand managed to find space in the South African defence. Will Jordan finished a move following a break by Leroy Carter and, with his 54th try in Test rugby, put the All Blacks back in front. Sky Sports highlighted the moment as one of the visitors' key attacking flashes, but Love missed the conversion. New Zealand therefore led 17-12, but the Springboks did not allow the momentum to shift permanently back to the visitors.
The response came almost immediately. Jesse Kriel broke through the defence after Carter failed to stop the attack, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted to give South Africa their first lead of the match. From that point on, the home side's physical pressure became increasingly pronounced. Associated Press assessed that the Springboks built their decisive advantage through a powerful scrum and then through a long, exhausting maul from a lineout. Malcolm Marx was the player who finished that move with a try between the posts, after which Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the conversion.
South Africa extended their advantage further in the closing stages with a Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty and moved to 29-17. The All Blacks managed to score one more try through replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho after regulation time had expired, and Damian McKenzie converted for the final score of 29-24. That late score reduced the final margin but did not change the outcome. Reuters emphasised in its report that both teams finished with four tries each, which illustrates how evenly matched the teams were in open play, but also how discipline, goal-kicking execution and control of set pieces decided the winner.
Kolisi moves past John Smit with 55 victories
For Siya Kolisi, the evening in Soweto carried an additional historic dimension. Before the match, he had been level with former captain John Smit on 54 victories in Tests in which he served as captain. With the victory over New Zealand, he reached 55 and became the outright most successful Springboks captain by total number of wins. That figure was confirmed by Sky Sports and several South African sources that followed the record ahead of the third Test.
Even before this record, Kolisi already held a special place in the history of South African rugby. As captain, he led the Springboks to Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, while under his leadership South Africa also won the series against the British & Irish Lions in 2021. His captaincy era coincided with a period in which the Springboks once again became a dominant force in world rugby, combining exceptional physical power, squad depth and the ability to decide tight matches in the closing stages. Ahead of the clash in Soweto, Kolisi played down his personal record, stressing that the number of victories belonged to the team rather than to an individual.
After the match, the captain again shifted the focus to the collective. Sky Sports reported his assessment that New Zealand had pushed the Springboks to their limits, particularly in the opening 25 minutes, and that South Africa had been significantly better in the closing stages than in the previous two Tests. Kolisi also emphasised the importance of representing the people of South Africa and thanked the crowd for its support. Such comments carried additional weight because of the location of the match: Soweto holds a special place in modern South African history, and Reuters highlighted before the encounter that Kolisi had spoken openly about the symbolism of playing there.
FNB Stadium finally brings celebration against the All Blacks
The victory also carries special significance for FNB Stadium, also known as Soccer City or the Calabash. SA Rugby announced that with this result the Springboks ended more than a decade of failure against New Zealand at the stadium and defeated the All Blacks there at the third attempt. The venue in Soweto is globally best known as the main stadium of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but over the years it has also become the setting for major rugby events. According to the official SA Rugby figure, the match on 5 September attracted 85,967 spectators.
The atmosphere matched the historic character of the tour. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry was launched in 2026 as a new four-year touring format between South Africa and New Zealand. According to SA Rugby's official description, the plan is for hosting duties to alternate: in 2026 the All Blacks are touring South Africa, while the Springboks are expected to make a full return tour of New Zealand in 2030. This year's tour includes four Tests between the national teams, three of them in South Africa, followed by the final encounter in Baltimore, as well as matches between the All Blacks and leading South African franchises.
The All Blacks last completed a full tour of South Africa in 1996, when they won the Test series 2-1 and secured a series victory on South African soil for the first time. Thirty years later, the new format restores an element of the traditional long tours, with the final Test taking place in the American market.
Series completely turns around after Springboks' defeat at Ellis Park
The result in Soweto is even more significant when viewed in the context of the entire series. New Zealand opened the Test portion of the tour on 22 August with a 33-16 victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. SA Rugby reported at the time that the All Blacks had taken a 1-0 lead after a match in which they had been more direct and more effective in converting attacking opportunities. South Africa therefore arrived in Cape Town under pressure, aware that a second consecutive defeat would effectively leave the visitors in control of the series.
The Springboks' response came on 29 August. They won 33-26 in Cape Town to level the series at 1-1, with Cheslin Kolbe playing an important role with his kicking. Sky Sports reported that Kolbe scored 18 points from the boot, while Kolisi marked his return to the team with a try. That gave the third Test in Soweto the character of a kind of final for the South African leg of the tour: the winner would travel to Baltimore with the lead and the opportunity to control the conclusion of the entire series.
The Springboks took that opportunity. In two consecutive weeks, they defeated the team that had beaten them by a convincing 17-point margin in the first Test, demonstrating their ability to adapt in the process. In Cape Town, kicking from the tee was crucial, while in Soweto it was the forward pack and the patient creation of pressure through the scrum and maul that made the difference. Such a change highlights the breadth of options available to Rassie Erasmus's team.
Injuries to Kolisi's and Savea's teammates alter the picture ahead of Baltimore
The final Test will not merely be a tactical continuation of the previous three matches because both teams emerged from Soweto with significant injury concerns. Ardie Savea, one of New Zealand's most influential players and a two-try scorer in the third Test, injured his shoulder and, according to TVNZ, will not travel to the United States. His absence represents both a tactical and leadership problem for the All Blacks, who will have to find a new balance in the back row and a new captaincy solution in Baltimore.
South Africa, meanwhile, are awaiting further developments regarding Cheslin Kolbe. Several reports after the match stated that he had suffered a broken jaw, which effectively rules out a quick return for the fourth Test. Kolbe's value is not limited to finishing attacks; his ability to play several positions across the back line and his quality under high balls give the Springboks additional flexibility. Rassie Erasmus will therefore once again have to adjust his combinations ahead of Baltimore, just as he has done earlier in the series because of injuries and changes to the lineup.
Despite those problems, South Africa enter the final encounter in the more favourable position. A draw would be enough for them to win the series, while New Zealand must win if they want to avoid an overall defeat and finish the tour at 2-2. The pressure of the result is therefore more clearly on the All Blacks, although the match will be played at a neutral venue outside the traditional home environment of either team.
Baltimore as the historic finale to one of rugby's greatest rivalries
The fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore carries its own historic significance. SA Rugby announced at the beginning of the year that it would be the final match of the inaugural edition of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry and a rare Springboks appearance in the United States. With the move, organisers want to present one of the best-known international rivalries in sport to an audience outside the traditional rugby heartlands. For New Zealand, it is an opportunity to avoid their first series defeat by South Africa in half a century, while the Springboks have the chance to complete their comeback after the opening defeat at Ellis Park.
Further symbolism comes from the overall history of the two teams. According to SA Rugby's official competition description, South Africa and New Zealand won seven of the first ten Rugby World Cups: the Springboks four and the All Blacks three. Their Tests against each other therefore almost invariably carry significance beyond the individual result, particularly during periods in which both teams are near the top of world rugby. The 2026 series was designed precisely as a return to such a direct, multi-match contest capable of developing its own dynamic over several weeks.
After three Tests, that dynamic is extremely clear. New Zealand struck first at Ellis Park, South Africa responded in Cape Town and then showed in Soweto that they could also win when the match developed in a direction more suited to New Zealand's fast attacking style. The 29-24 result did not formally end the series, but it put the Springboks in a position from which they control its outcome. At the same time, Kolisi added another historic record to a career already marked by major trophies.
Two teams with different tasks will therefore arrive in Baltimore on 12 September. South Africa need to confirm their advantage and turn two consecutive victories into overall series triumph, while New Zealand must win to salvage a 2-2 draw and avoid defeat on a tour designed as a return to the tradition of great head-to-head series. Regardless of the final outcome, the third Test in Soweto has already secured its place in the history of the rivalry: the Springboks defeated the All Blacks at FNB Stadium for the first time, took the series lead and gave Kolisi a record 55th victory as captain.
Sources:
- SA Rugby - official report from the third Test, result, half-time score, attendance figure and South Africa's 2-1 lead (link)
- Sky Sports - course of the match, scorers, Ardie Savea's injury, Siya Kolisi's statement and the information about his 55th victory as captain (link)
- Associated Press / Chron - analysis of the key role of South Africa's scrum and maul and the historical context of a possible first Springboks series victory over New Zealand since 1976 (link)
- Reuters / ARN News Centre - result, four tries by each team, scorers and date of the final Test in Baltimore (link)
- SA Rugby - official overview of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry competition, tour format, history of the rivalry and plan for four-year alternating hosting cycles (link)
- All Blacks / New Zealand Rugby - confirmation that the 2026 tour is the All Blacks' first full tour of South Africa since 1996 and the tour schedule (link)
- TVNZ - updated information that Ardie Savea will not travel to the final Test in Baltimore because of a shoulder injury (link)
- IOL - context for Kolisi's captaincy record and his statement before the third Test about the importance of winning the series (link)
- Magic 828 / IOL Sport - report on Cheslin Kolbe's injury and the claim that he suffered a broken jaw after leaving the match early (link)