Last Updated: 06/08/22 6:37pm
A dominant display – at set-piece and in contact – saw South Africa kick off their 2022 Rugby Championship campaign with a 26-10 win over New Zealand – the first time since 1998 the All Blacks have lost three Tests in a row.
Defeat in Mbombela to the Springboks follows successive home losses to Ireland for New Zealand which came in their 2-1 series defeat last month, live on Sky Sports.
They fell to a 19-3 deficit in South Africa on Saturday as Boks wing Kurt-Lee Arendse scored early – his first Test try – off a wonderful Lukhanyo Am offload.
Fly-half Handre Pollard added three penalties and a drop-goal, either side of a Jordie Barrett penalty for the All Blacks, before Arendse was red carded late on for a horrendous tackle on Beauden Barrett in the air.
The All Blacks notched their only try in the limited time that remained, as replacement Shannon Frizell reached out to score following a superb Caleb Clark break, but it was South Africa who would have the final say.
A woeful error from Frizell just outside his own 22 saw him spill the ball back towards his own try-line, where replacement Willie le Roux took the gift to kick on and score.
More to follow…