Siya Kolisi and Malcolm Marx scored tries as South Africa achieved a historic 18-12 Rugby Championship victory over New Zealand in Cape Town, marking their fourth consecutive win against the All Blacks for the first time in 75 years. The Springboks reclaimed the Freedom Cup, a trophy contested between the two nations, for the first time since 2009.
New Zealand displayed dominance at the breakdown, earning several penalties that kept them competitive throughout the match. However, in the final 20 minutes, the Springboks began to take control of both territory and possession, making it difficult for the visitors to respond effectively.
The All Blacks led 9-3 at halftime, thanks to strong defensive efforts from both teams, which included a yellow card each for South Africa’s Jasper Wiese and New Zealand’s Sevu Reece.
In the second half, South Africa gained momentum from their bench and took the lead for the first time in the game at 49 minutes, when Kolisi scored after a sustained effort in the New Zealand 22.
Both teams exchanged penalties, but the Springboks found themselves down to 14 players once more when full-back Willie le Roux failed to secure an intercept. New Zealand’s McKenzie missed a crucial penalty with eight minutes remaining that could have shifted the score in their favor, while the All Blacks also had to play a man down for a second time due to Tyrel Lomax committing a clear obstruction against Cheslin Kolbe.
From the ensuing attacking lineout, Marx sealed the Springboks’ victory by scoring their second try, breaking free from a maul to dive over in the corner.