Dejected South Africa's players look on at the end of the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo / AP
Dejected South Africa's players look on at the end of the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo / AP
The All Blacks completed a stunning comeback win this morning, scoring twice in the last five minutes to beat South Africa 32-30 in Pretoria.
Here's how the rugby world saw it:
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus may "come to lament some of the subsitiutions" following a "limp and ill-disciplined" final quarter, said South African rugby critic Jon Cardinelli.
Writing for SA Rugby Mag, Cardinelli said the Boks blew it in Pretoria after asserting their dominance.
"The Boks were in charge of the contest for the better part of 60 minutes. Indeed, when Cheslin Kolbe was awarded a try in the 59th minute, the partisan crowd at Loftus started to celebrate as if South Africa had scored their second win over the All Blacks in the space of three weeks.
"The Boks led 30-13 at that stage. They should have put the All Blacks away. Instead, they started to give away penalties, fall off tackles, and concede acres of territory.
"Rassie Erasmus may come to lament some of the substitutions he made during that period. The fact of the matter is that the Boks weren't up to repelling the All Blacks in the dying stages, and the tactical display contrasted that of the first 50-odd minutes."
New Zealand's players acknowledges their supporters at the end the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo /AP
Ashfak Mohamed said on iol.co.za that the All Blacks' win proved "Kieran Read and his team never give up".
"Having already clinched the title against Argentina last week, it would've been easier for [the All Blacks] to just go through the motions in front of a hostile Loftus [Versfeld] crowd.
"But Kieran Read and his team never gave up, with Ioane strolling over in the 62nd minute to begin the comeback, before Scott Barrett and Savea clinched an enthralling triumph.
"The Boks didn't deserve to lose, but the laboured approach in the first half will be a valuable lesson to them that they have to adopt a positive, attacking approach at all times if they want to be World Cup contenders
New Zealand's players celebrate at the end the Rugby Championship match between South Africa and New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. Photo / AP
Kieran Read: We never lost belief:
"You have got to have belief deep down that you can come back," New Zealand captain Kieran Read said at the post match presentation.
"Both teams were outstanding and across the two games we are split even on the scoreboard. We hung in there, when they got a bit of momentum we were able to stymie it and come back.
"We showed great respect to the Boks, but both teams have got great respect for each other."
New Zealand were trailing 30-18 with 6 minutes remaining on the clock and staring at back-to-back defeats against South Africa.
The match ended 30-32 with an 80th minute conversion sealing an astonishing All Blacks victory. pic.twitter.com/Pa8cnMhXrR
Mo'unga orchestrated the Crusaders' Super Rugby title and was just as assured in a manic finale. With less than a year until the Rugby World Cup, Hansen now knows his true value.
"South Africa were able to put a lot of pressure on us through set piece and it's hard to get solutions while we're out there," Mo'unga said. "To come back like that takes a lot of courage."
