The 10Bet Ellispark Stadium swelled with Green and Gold pride on Saturday in preparation for the first leg of the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Boks and the All Blacks. Walking around the Bok Town it was brilliant to see a sea of every springbok jersey imaginable! From the Ooms and Aunties to the barefoot children running on the lawn to the oaks juggling the 2L beer jugs at the beer tents, it was clear that Johannesburg had shaken off the winter frost and all were geared for a sun-filled weekend fuelled by the Boks!
Bok Town Sets the Scene at Ellis Park
If you want to really get “bang for your bok” on that crazy Springbok ticket price, be sure to go extra early to enjoy all the festivities surrounding the stadium. The production team did a fantastic job creating a safe, fun and energetic atmosphere that is perfect for every rugby fan. It was tough not to part with my Mandelas at the at the countless food stalls. The pizza and burger stands seemed to be the busiest with a special mention to World of Samoosa, wowza I could have another dozen again for lunch! There were beer tents plenty which made for reasonable lines and waiting times on the day and i’d like to bet that Castle sold a MINIMUM of 50 thousand beers on the day. Coca-Cola and Klipdrift also had some fantastic activations, with Klipdrift creating a lively “Player Lounge” complete with a pumping DJ and giveaways, while Coca-Cola brought the energy with their iconic red-and-white double-decker Coke bus
A Spine-Tingling Build-Up to South Africa vs The All Blacks
The sun dipping behind the Vodacom Tower was the first signal to the fans to start filing into the stadium for the pregame festivities. Sitting shoulder to shoulder to create a green and gold wall was an emotional experience given the history of Ellispark and the excitement of the chance to witness the number one ranked side line up against the world’s number two rugby team, for an epic heavy weight show down!
Damian de Allende Celebrates a Historic 100th Springbok Test at Ellis Park
Ellis park got to experience double aeroplane fly overs that shook seats before Damian de Allende took to the field with his wife and children to celebrate his 100th Test in the Green and Gold, becoming just the 10th Springbok to reach the century mark. More than a decade after making his international debut against Argentina in 2014, De Allende joined an extraordinary group of Bok centurions including John Smit, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Tendai Mtawarira, Eben Etzebeth, Willie le Roux and Siya Kolisi.
It was difficult to imagine a more fitting setting for his 100th appearance. A packed Ellis Park, the All Blacks waiting on the opposite side of the field, and the opening Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry provided a stage worthy of the occasion. De Allende has been a cornerstone of the Springbok midfield throughout one of the most successful eras in South African rugby, and watching him share such a significant moment with his family, surrounded by a sea of Green and Gold, added another memorable chapter to an already emotional build-up.
The All Blacks’ Haka Echoes Around Ellis Park
Watching the Haka on TV is one thing. Watching it live is another entirely. There was a “hush hush hush” before the stamping began… You feel it as much as hear it — the thump and cries travelled up through the stands, tens of thousands of Springbok fans falling silent at once. The Boks stood 10 meters away arm in arm forming a green and gold wall of their own as Codie Taylor lead the famous Kapa o Pango Haka.
First Half: The Springboks Strike First
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu got the game underway with a deep kick into All black territory. The Boks clearly wanting to put New Zealand under pressure. South Africa seem to have the upper hand with 5 minute on the clock as Cheslin Kolbe placed the ball for a penalty kick after back to back penalties conceded by the All Blacks. Kolbe kicked the ball high into the stands for the first 3- pointer of the game.
Will Jordan Responds for the All Blacks
The game certainly opened up after that with a fast reply from the All Blacks in the form of a try through the 28 year old Will Jordan who managed to dive across the line right in the corner.
Andre Esterhuizen Powers Over for South Africa
The Springboks managed to reply with phase after phase of pressure to finally break down the New Zealand defence with Andre Esterhuizen absolutely bulldozing Josh Moorby for his 6th test try. Cheslin Kolbe converted taking the score to a fair RSA 10- 5 NZL. It was tough to watch from the grandstand as The All Blacks started to hum, going through a few phases of beautiful passing that had the Bokke reeling at moments. Steady hands and smart passing were a differentiating factor between the two teams and after a bit of back and forth, The All Blacks managed to take the lead after a few great passes unlocked Joshua Tamati Moorby for a try and conversion.
The Springbok Scrum Makes Its Mark
Not to be outdone, the Bokke pulled out the ace in the back pocket… our unbelievable scrum. After a fantastic aerial challenge by Damian Willemse, the Bokke managed to win a scrum and immediately overwhelmed the All Blacks winning an easy penalty for Kolbe to bring the score to a neck and neck 13-12 to South Africa.
Malcolm Marx Denied as the Boks Lead at Half-Time
Over the next 8 minutes the Springboks pushed the pace and were unlucky in the 34th minute after a VAR decision ruled Malcolm Marx lost the ball forward as he surged over the line. The decision was a call, but a fair call. The first half ended a tight 13-12 with everything in it for both teams. I could now understand why they called this the RUGBYS GREATEST RIVALRY.
Second Half: Small Margins Begin to Decide the Test
Coming in to the second half, both teams knew that it was going to be the small margins that would decide the outcome of this first test. The young Ruben Love got the second half underway and within seconds he had the ball soring back over his head after a mighty hoof from Willemse. Neither team wanting to give any ground after the restart. After a back and forth kicking battle the Bokke managed to win another scrum after showing beautiful synchronized power against the All Black pack. This set up out boy Kolbe for another penalty kick which he easily converted.
Fabian Holland Punishes the Springboks
Ruben Love kicked the ball deep into the Springbok half and was claimed by Jasper Wiese who drove forward before being brought down just inside of the 22, but Fabian Holland showed great awareness and speed to charge down the kick from Grant Williams! The balled bounced as a perfect reward right into Hollands arms who smiled broadly as he dotted the ball down for the first All Black try of the second half.
The Scrum Battle That Changed the Game
The Springboks won a scrum right in front of the New Zealand posts, and with South Africa dominating the scrums all game, every Bok shirt in the stadium was sure this meant easy points. With the score at 16-19 to New Zealand, the Bokke needed this to take the lead — but the All Blacks showed real grit, getting low and powering back against the Springboks to win their first try of the game. A MASSIVE moment for New Zealand as momentum slowly shifted their way… New Zealand spurred on by their stunning defence ran right through the Bokke thanks to quick running and smooth passing between Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie but a mighty last second, flying tackle by Damian Willemse saving the Springboks. Newzeland had a 5 meter scrum right infront of the poles identical to the one the Bokke had minutes before, it was time for South Africa to show their own grit. Springbok supports were biting nails as Cam Roigard placed the ball in the scrum.
Luke Jacobson Puts Daylight Between the Teams
Both teams pushed hard but Ardie Savea cleverly collected the ball from the back of the New Zealand scum and ran for the line. He was stopped just short of the line but a try was inevitable as Luke Jacobson claimed the All Blacked 4th try of the evening. With 18 minutes to go, New Zealand had a commanding lead at RSA 16- 26 NZL.
The Final Quarter Unravels for the Springboks
Rassie chose this moment to make 3 big changes, Zachary Porthen on for Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden on for Paul de Villiers and Marco van Staden on for Paul de Villiers. South Africa tried to push the pace and managed a few good runs but were plagued by handling errors which took the Klippies out of our coke.
Two Yellow Cards Open the Door for New Zealand
The All Blacks showed that they had plenty in the tank and mounted serious pressure in the late minutes of the game, with the ball on the Springbok try line Marco van Staden made a terrible tackling decision which earned a him a yellow. This was followed moments later by another costly mistake, as Cobus Reinach deliberately knocked the ball forward, earning himself a yellow card and joining Van Staden in the sin bin. It didn’t take long before the All Blacks broke the Springboks down once more, a second try for Will Jordan and the 5th for Newzeland
Full Time: South Africa 16–33 New Zealand
The final whistle eventually brought an end to a bruising evening at Ellis Park, with the All Blacks walking away 33–16 winners and taking a commanding first step in this Greatest Rivalry series. For the Springboks, it was a frustrating night where the scoreline perhaps told only half the story. There were moments of brilliance, huge defensive efforts and, as always, a scrum that looked capable of bullying anyone in the world. But the All Blacks were simply sharper when it mattered. For 60 minutes, this felt like anyone’s game. The difference in the final quarter was composure. New Zealand capitalised on every mistake, while the Boks struggled to turn pressure into points when opportunities presented themselves. Two yellow cards late in the game only made the mountain steeper, and once the All Blacks smelled blood, they were ruthless.
The Greatest Rivalry Has Only Just Begun
If there is one thing you learn from watching the Springboks, it is never to write them off after one game. The Greatest Rivalry has only just begun — and if the first Test is anything to go by, the return fixture is going to be one hell of a ride.
How much are flights to Capetown…?
