Springboks Level the Series 1–1

Rugby · Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026

DHL Stadium, Cape Town  |  Saturday, August 29, 2026  |  Referee: Angus Gardner

A week after being outmuscled and outclassed at Ellis Park, the Springboks responded in the only way they know how: with brute force and a ferocious start. South Africa beat New Zealand 33-26 in a pulsating second Test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, avenging their 33-16 defeat in Johannesburg and levelling the four-match Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1 heading into the third Test at FNB Stadium next weekend.

Captain Siya Kolisi, back from injury, marked his return with a try of his own, while centres Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende also crossed the whitewash as the world champions raced into a commanding 24-14 lead at the break. New Zealand rallied hard in the second half, but South Africa held on through a nervy finish — surviving a Lood de Jager yellow card in the 79th minute — to secure a result that keeps the series, and the Springboks' proud home record against the All Blacks, very much alive.

Try Scorers

A ferocious start sets the tone

The intent was obvious well before kickoff. Reports from the DHL Stadium warm-up described an almost full-contact intensity from the Springboks that carried directly onto the field, and it showed from the very first phase of play. A powerful driving maul laid the platform early, and the ball was quickly shifted wide for Jesse Kriel to score inside the second minute, immediately putting New Zealand on the back foot.

All Black centre Jordie Barrett fielded the kickoff and immediately punted the ball into touch, a tactical choice that read almost like a reluctance to invite the first contact against a Springboks side visibly primed for confrontation.

South Africa never let up. Damian de Allende added a second try, and Siya Kolisi — restored to the captaincy after injury — capped a dominant opening period with a try of his own right before the interval, sending the Springboks in at halftime with a commanding 24-14 lead having outscored the All Blacks three tries to two in the opening 40 minutes. Cheslin Kolbe was reliably efficient with the boot throughout, finishing with 18 points to go with the tries.

New Zealand's fightback falls just short

To their credit, New Zealand did not fold. Scrumhalf Cam Roigard, fullback Damian McKenzie, wing Leroy Carter and number eight Ardie Savea all crossed for tries as the All Blacks clawed their way back into contention through the second half, testing South Africa's discipline and depth at the breakdown. The visitors were disrupted at the lineout for large parts of the contest, a clear area for improvement ahead of the series' remaining fixtures, but their attacking phases in broken play were consistently dangerous.

The match reached its most dramatic moment in the 79th minute, when lock Lood de Jager was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle that made head contact with Leroy Carter, leaving the Springboks to see out the closing stages a man down. New Zealand used the resulting territory to press for a series-levelling try of their own, kicking for the corner in a final attempt to snatch the game, but South Africa's defence held firm, sealing a 33-26 victory and, with it, the series square at 1-1.

Match at a glance

Detail	Result
Final score	South Africa 33–26 New Zealand
Halftime score	South Africa 24–14
South Africa tries	3 (Kriel, de Allende, Kolisi)
New Zealand tries	4 (Roigard, McKenzie, Carter, Savea)
Cards	Yellow — Lood de Jager (RSA), 79'
Attendance	56,589
Series score	1–1 (2 Tests remaining)
Next fixture	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg — Sept 5

Team changes that paid off

Head coach Rassie Erasmus made notable changes to his front row for the Cape Town Test, starting Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit ahead of Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché and Wilco Louw, who were instead named among the replacements. The shuffled bench made a telling impact when introduced, with Malcolm Marx in particular causing New Zealand persistent problems at the breakdown after coming on. The win also ensured the Springboks preserved their record of never having lost consecutive home Tests to the same opponent since the British & Irish Lions did so in 1997, while inflicting the first defeat of new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie's tenure in his ninth match in charge.

What's next

The four-Test series — part of the inaugural "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" tour — now shifts to Johannesburg for the third Test at FNB Stadium on September 5, before the series concludes with an unprecedented fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, USA, on September 12. With the series tied at 1-1 and two matches to play, both sides head into the second half of the tour knowing the world No. 1 ranking, and bragging rights in rugby's oldest and fiercest rivalry, remain firmly up for grabs.

Sources

• News24 — "Game on! Springboks respond in Cape Town to keep Greatest Rivalry series alive"
• RTÉ Sport — "Springboks hit back to level series with All Blacks"
• Daily Maverick — "Springboks roar back into series with victory over All Blacks in Cape Town thriller"
• Rugby365 — "Springboks hang on against All Blacks to level Greatest Rivalry series"
• FloRugby — "Springboks vs All Blacks: South Africa Wins 33-26 In Cape Town"
• Archynewsy — "Springboks Level Series in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry"
• SA Rugby Magazine — Springboks 2026 Schedule

Also Read: Damian Willemse Ruled Out of Springboks Squad

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