Top 10 All Black and Springbok tests of the modern era

Richie McCaw and Brad Thorn celebrate their victory against South Africa at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town in August, 2008. Photo / Getty Images

The end of apartheid breathed new life into one of rugby's greatest rivalries. Wynne Gray looks back at some of the more memorable matches between the two teams from the past 17 years

1 Aug 1992, Ellis Park

New Zealand 27
South Africa 24

This was the resumption of tests between the great rugby warring nations and the first official trip to the Republic by a New Zealand side since 1976.

The All Blacks won their leadup matches and were expected to win the test after honing their combinations on an extended tour of Australia, while the Boks lacked that sort of edge.

The tourists obliged but it was a close-run battle with the All Blacks reliant on the quick-witted genius of Zinzan Brooke (left) when he tapped a penalty and dived over while replacement halfback Jon Preston played a huge part after coming into the game early.

The Boks had great names like Uli Schmidt, Naas Botha and Danie Gerber in their side but their years of isolation told in this historic international fixture.

2 June 1995, Ellis Park

South Africa 15
New Zealand 12

Many will say it was preordained that the Rainbow Nation would collect the World Cup in their first attempt. They hosted the tournament which had many twists and a number of inglorious episodes but for sheer joy, intrigue and novelty has to rate with the best in the tournament's short history.

The All Blacks cantered to the final, the Boks just got there, after a controversial rain-drenched semifinal against France in Durban. Then the fortunes changed.

The All Blacks were stricken by food poisoning which left many of them debilitated, the Boks double and triple-teamed tournament sensation Jonah Lomu as the game became an all-kick shootout. Andrew Mehrtens narrowly missed a dropped goal three minutes before referee Ed Morrison signalled extra-time.

When Joel Stransky kicked a dropped goal in the second period, there was no way back for the All Blacks as Francois Pienaar, his side, President Nelson Mandela and what seemed like the entire Republic, began days of mass celebration.

3 Aug 1996, Loftus Versfeld

New Zealand 33
South Africa 26

This was the last mountain for the All Blacks to scale, a victory for all those who had travelled and failed to win a series in South Africa in five previous tours since 1928.

This was for all those who had won the black jersey but never tasted the triumph. Several tasty tries from the gifted Jeff Wilson bounced New Zealand out of the blocks well and a Zinzan Brooke scrum special created a 21-11 lead at the break.

Simon Culhane was injured and once again it was Preston, who came from the bench, this time at first five eighths, and kicked some vital penalties.

There was also a late Zinzan Brooke dropped goal but then several minutes of heroic goalline defence for the All Blacks before referee Didier Mene whistled them into the history pages. Many were too exhausted to celebrate as they lay on the turf in Pretoria trying to deal with all the emotion of the historic moment.

4 July 1998, Athletic Park

South Africa 13
New Zealand 3

Nick Mallett's side was well-trained, disciplined and patient. All those components came together 10 minutes from time when they worked a scrum move for blindside wing Pieter Rossouw to take an inside pass from five-eighths Henry Honiball and slip inside the defenders who had been drawn into midfield by a dummy run from Joost van der Westhuizen.

It was enough to seal the test after the All Blacks had squandered a number of try-scoring chances and Carlos Spencer had slapped a number of kicks wide of the woodwork. Mehrtens came on and kicked one goal but there was no other reward for the All Blacks, whose defeat was the second in what was to become a horror stretch of five losses.

5 July 1999, Carisbrook

New Zealand 28
South Africa 0

This was the start of the All Blacks' serious buildup to the World Cup, the first in a quartet of tough tests against their Southern Hemisphere rivals and also the birth of the side's lengthy sponsorship with adidas.

The Boks had played a fortnight before in Wales and were without a number of senior players. The All Blacks also lacked experience but they had been playing together and they were at home.

They had some luck, they chipped away all game and when referee Peter Marshall signalled an end to the combat, the All Blacks had posted a record score and the third time they had doughnutted their great rivals.

Jeff Wilson and Tony Brown scored on their home track and in the end a record eight Otago players - Wilson, Brown, Kelleher, Randell, Kronfeld, Meeuws, Hoeft, Oliver - were involved in the game.

6 Aug 2002, Durban

New Zealand 30
South Africa 23

Apparently there were about 420 security men at the stadium but none of them managed to notice or halt a hefty intruder before he attacked referee David McHugh.

There had been some strange calls during the match which apparently infuriated Pieter van Zyl enough for him to launch his corpulent frame into combat.

He managed to drive McHugh into the ground, dislocating the ref's shoulder before Richie McCaw and AJ Venter administered their own red-card justice on the intruder until the security forces arrived.

After all that hysteria, the All Blacks managed to steady and then delivered the late knockout blow with a try to Aaron Mauger. Then they had to wait for another week to check the result of the final match between the Boks and Wallabies before their Tri-Nations fate was decided.

The All Blacks left the Republic sure they had done enough to secure the title and that hunch proved correct when the hosts held out the visitors a week later at Ellis Park.



7 Aug 2005, Carisbrook

New Zealand 31
South Africa 27

This time it seemed the Boks would beat their 84-year bogey and triumph at the House of Pain. They were ahead inside the final quarter and seemed as though they would defeat the top-rated side in the world.

But, four minutes from time, the All Blacks managed to launch from an Ali Williams' lineout collect deep in Bok territory and splintered the South Africans' defence enough for Keven Mealamu to burrow his way to the line.

Earlier Mealamu had set up a try for Leon MacDonald while wing Joe Rokocoko scored two magnificent touchdowns as the All Blacks countered a robust inquiry and powerful defence from the visitors. With Oliver injured for the 2005 programme, Mealamu stepped into the top role where he regularly showed his remarkable talents.




8 June 2007, Durban

All Blacks 26
South Africa 21

It had been five years since the All Blacks played in Durban and it was to be their first real exam of the year after weak efforts from France and Canada.

Victor Matfield captained the Boks for the first time and it was his rival skipper Richie McCaw who brought out a try-saving tackle in the opening minutes.

All Blacks errors helped the Boks to two tries and they still led 21-12 with about 10 minutes left. Up stepped McCaw again to cap a thrilling move, while minutes later Joe Rokocoko crossed the stripe to crown a thrilling counter-attack which began in their own 22.

A likely loss had become a rousing win in the space of minutes.









9 July 2008, Dunedin

South Africa 30
New Zealand 28

A week before, a McCaw-less All Blacks battled past the Boks who then travelled to Carisbrook where they hadn't won in 87 years.

The All Blacks were on a 30-test winning sequence at home, and while not playing well, looked ready to nail No 31 when Matfield was sinbinned late in the match for a high tackle.

Halfback Ricky Januarie had the answer though with a 45m solo run, chip, regather and dive with Francois Steyn's conversion giving the Boks the lead. Two Daniel Carter drop goals missed or were blocked and the Boks had their famous victory.

10 Aug 2008, Cape Town

New Zealand 19
South Africa 0

This was Percy Montgomery's 100th test. It was supposed to be a day to remember and it was for all the wrong reasons for the Boks.

It began badly when Butch James kicked out on the full and hardly recovered.

The All Blacks punctured the defence for tries to Conrad Smith, Daniel Carter and Keven Mealamu on a day when they dominated all the numbers.

Victory set them up for a repeat run at the Tri-Nations title and a successful end-of-year tour.