All Blacks vs South Africa

Under-fire New Zealand rugby coach Ian Foster said he believed his All Blacks team took “a step up” despite losing 26-10 to South Africa in the Rugby ...

“We had to get back into the game but all the Springboks did was carry hard and clean hard and earn a couple of penalties. This is a Springbok team that knows what they do well and they stick to it.” “As the game unfolded, a few opportunities opened up.

How the players rated in the All Blacks' 26-10 loss to South Africa this morning. All Blacks. 1. George Bower: With honours even in the tally of mystery ...

But his effort to win a three-point ruck penalty in the 69th minute, snaffling the ball singlehandedly against three All Blacks (one of whom was the open-side flanker), pretty much summed up the day. Had the advantage of playing behind the better of the two packs, and made the most of it. 2. Malcolm Marx: The best of the Boks. Playing in his 50th test, the Japan-based man was every inch the modern hooker, carrying, bustling and jackaling the visitors out of the game in a display of brutal efficiency. 15. Jordie Barrett: Needed to do a better job of commanding the Bok high balls. The one bright light was a link up with Savea reminiscent of that which brought a try against Ireland. Expect that channel to be blocked next week. In a game of little space, the big winger had to work hard to get involved, bringing grunt to collisions. He was also beaten in the air by teeny-tiny Arendse for the opening try. Summed up by the blind pass in the 38th minute which went to ground, letting the Boks sneak out from a rare moment of rising pressure. Notable that the Hurricanes skipper had a lot to say to the referee late in the match. Out-played by the Bok loosies, his lowest point was probably taking out his own fullback under a highball at the start of the second half. 3. Angus Ta'avao: The Boks hammered his side of the scrum hard and the whistle follows him, but he got a couple of decisions in his favour, too. But like the rest of us, he could only look on as his opposite number delivered a masterclass in how modern hookers can dominate a match.