REIGNING CHAMPIONS SOUTH Africa completed their World Cup preparations with a record 35-7 rout of 14-man New Zealand as the All Blacks suffered their all-time heaviest margin of defeat.
The Springboks scored five tries, through captain Siya Kolisi, wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, hooker Malcolm Marx and replacements Bongi Mbonambi and Kwagga Smith — all converted by out-half Manie Libbok.
New Zealand avoided the embarrassment of being ‘nilled’ nine minutes from time when replacement back Cam Roigard ran in a converted try from some 70 metres out after gathering a loose ball.
The defeat, however, topped the 21-point loss the All Blacks suffered when going down 47-26 to Australia in 2019.
This result also saw South Africa top their previous winning margin against arch-rivals New Zealand achieved in a 17-0 success at Durban back in 1928.
New Zealand’s fate was all but sealed when they had to play just over half the match a man down after Scott Barrett was sent off shortly before the break for a second yellow card, with the lock flying into a ruck and clattering Marx in the head.
The Springbok pack were in dominant form in what was the first match between the arch-rivals at Twickenham since the All Blacks won 20-18 in a 2015 World Cup semi-final before lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy.
“It was a very good start for us, a great performance by the team,” South Africa full-back Damian Willemse, Friday’s player of the match, told Sky Sports.
“This will give us some momentum going into the Rugby World Cup. I am the man of the match, but credit to the forwards, they put in a hell of a shift tonight.”
New Zealand captain Sam Cane, who like Scott Barrett received a first-half yellow card, added: “There is no denying, we are really disappointed with how we performed tonight. At the same time, a lot of credit has to go to the way the Boks played, they were really dominant in all facets.
“Our discipline really hurt us and their ability to dominate scrum, maul, line out and set piece made it really hard for us to get anything going.
“It certainly stings, it hurts. It is a game we are going to have to learn a lot from.
“We are going to have to learn quickly, but I would much rather we have it now than in a few weeks’ time.”
Depending on pool results, the rugby superpowers could meet again in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
New Zealand launch the showpiece tournament against hosts and fellow heavyweights France on 8 September, with South Africa beginning the defence of their title against Scotland in Marseille on September 10. The Springboks also face Ireland in a blockbuster Pool B clash on 23 September.
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