South Africa solidified a 3-1 series victory over New Zealand on Saturday, utilizing their trademark power, cohesion, and depth to dominate the fourth Test in Baltimore. The world champions overcame a spirited challenge from the All Blacks to emerge with a 43-28 win, played before a record-breaking crowd of 68,173 at M&T Bank Stadium—the largest attendance for a rugby match in United States history.
New Zealand initially threatened to level the series after taking an early lead, but the Springboks fought back to secure the result. The victory marks a successful conclusion to a high-stakes series that served as a rigorous test for both teams ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Match Scoring Summary
- South AfricaTries by de Allende (2), van den Berg, PS du Toit, Arendse, and Hanekom. Conversions by Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), van den Berg, and Libbok (2). Penalty by Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
- New ZealandTries by Taylor, Jordan, Blackadder, and B. Barrett. Conversions by McKenzie (4).
Match Progression
The All Blacks opened the scoring eight minutes in when a fluid, multi-pass sequence outflanked the South African blitz defense, allowing hooker Codie Taylor to score. The Springboks responded with characteristic physicality; Damian de Allende powered over from close range, followed by a clever dummy and darting run from scrum-half Morne van den Berg, establishing a 17-7 lead for South Africa.
As the first half drew to a close, New Zealand’s Will Jordan—the nation’s all-time leading try-scorer—concluded a 32-phase attacking drive with a score, narrowing the deficit to four points by halftime. The second half saw the Springboks regain control as Malcolm Marx scored from a rolling maul and Pieter-Steph du Toit barged over shortly after. Despite a late rally from New Zealand, highlighted by Ethan Blackadder and Beauden Barrett, South Africa secured the win with a late try from Cameron Hanekom. The report also notes that the All Blacks jumped to the top of the world rankings and threatened to shake up rugby’s world order, after victory in the series opener in Johannesburg last month. The report also notes that however, South Africa clawed their way back to triumph – just as their director of rugby Rassie Erasmus had predicted. The report also notes that the match played out in front of a near-capacity crowd of 68,173 at the M&T Bank Stadium, the largest-ever crowd to watch a rugby match in the USA. The report also notes that a successful stateside excursion completes a series that has been compelling viewing and stress-tested both sides’ aspirations of lifting the Rugby World Cup next year – the two nations have won the past five editions of the tournament. The report also notes that it was New Zealand who started fastest in Maryland on Saturday. The report also notes that however, the Springboks’ brute strength in the close quarters meant they could collect points without needing to resort to such high-risk passages of play. The report also notes that the Boks seemed poised to stretch away and out of sight, with Eben Etzebeth crunching returning New Zealand fly-half Richie Mo’unga in the tackle and Jasper Wiese stampeding around in the loose. The report also notes that who had pushed a long-range penalty to the right of the uprights early on, missed a drop-goal shot, fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Team Lineups and Officials
- South AfricaWillemse; Arendse, Kriel, de Allende, Hooker; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, van den Berg; Nche, Marx, Louw, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi, du Toit, Wiese. Replacements: Fourie, Steenekamp, du Toit, de Jager, Esterhuizen, Hanekom, Reinach, Libbok.
- New ZealandMcKenzie; Jordan, Lienert-Brown, Barrett, Moorby; Mo’unga, Roigard; de Groot, Taylor, Newell, Tuipulotu, Darry, Vaa’i, Blackadder, Lakai. Replacements: Aumua, Numia, Lomax, Lord, Sititi, Preston, Ioane, Barrett.
- OfficialsReferee: Karl Dickson (England). Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Christophe Ridley (England). TMO: Andrew Jackson (England).
