@Springboks
Kurt-Lee Arendse scored his first try for the Springboks against the All Blacks in Mbombela but was then red-carded late in the game for a dangerous tackle.
Arendse ran in the Boks’ first try in the 8th minute of the opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship test but received a red card and was also stretchered off at the end following a big aerial collision with Beauden Barrett.
Early in the match, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk was also stretchered off in the first minute after suffering a head injury.
He returned to the team bench a few minutes later to the cheers of a packed stadium of more than 42 300 spectators.
The Springboks went into the half-time break with a 10-3 lead following a conversion and penalty by Handre Pollard, who also kicked a drop goal in the 57th minute and two more penalties.
The evergreen Willie le Roux scored the Boks second try from a loose ball which he kicked forward to dot down in his 75th test match and to give the Springboks a dominant 26 – 10 win.
Shannon Frizzel scored the All Blacks' only try in the 78th minute which was converted by Richie Mo’unga.
Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx was named Man of the Match in his 50th test.
“It’s always tough to play against New Zealand,” he said as he also paid tribute to a very noisy crowd.
Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, took selfies with the crowd at the end of a commanding performance.
“It was honestly a grind, exactly what we wanted. They are a great team but are going through a tough time. Mbombela is a special place,” he said.
Kolisi said what made him most proud was being able to execute everything we wanted to do. He said he was looking forward to the next game saying the “job is not done” yet.
Former Bok captain, John Smith, said the All Blacks were not in the game, while legendary winner Bryan Habana highlighted the accuracy of the Boks’ kicking and aerial game.
All Blacks captain Sam Cane said he was bitterly disappointed at the loss, but paid tribute to the Springboks who he said “threw everything” at them.
He said they will now look forward to the next test at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg.
