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Boks make two late changes ahead of second All Blacks test

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South Africa Cheslin Kolbe during the All Blacks v South Africa first test match, Rugbys Greatest Rivalry, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, 22 August 2026. (Photo by Nic Bothma / action press)

The Springboks have made two late changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town, with wing Cheslin Kolbe and fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu both drafted into the run-on side after Handre Pollard was ruled out through injury.

Pollard picked up a niggle at training on Wednesday, and after being assessed on Friday morning the decision was made to withdraw the two-time World Cup winner from the matchday squad entirely. Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had been named on the bench when the team was announced on Monday, steps up to start at number 10 — the same jersey he wore in the first Test defeat at Ellis Park and against Argentina in Buenos Aires. Manie Libbok has been added to the bench as the replacement fly-half.

Kolbe, meanwhile, has recovered fully from the knock that forced him off the field in Johannesburg. The injury was initially thought to be cramp before being identified as a more significant ankle problem, but the 51-cap wing has been passed fit and replaces Kurt-Lee Arendse, who drops out of the matchday 23 altogether. Ethan Hooker retains his place on the left wing.

The changes significantly alter the dynamic of the Springbok backline. Feinberg-Mngomezulu brings a more threatening ball-in-hand game and superior athleticism compared to the steadier Pollard, while Kolbe’s return strengthens the kick-chase unit considerably. The diminutive wing is an outstanding aerial exponent and was the Springboks’ goal-kicker in the first Test, landing all four of his shots at goal. Libbok, too, offers explosive qualities from the bench — giving Erasmus a different kind of impact option to the one Feinberg-Mngomezulu would have provided from the replacements.

What the Springboks do lose, however, is the versatility that Feinberg-Mngomezulu provided as a bench player. The 24-year-old can cover fullback, wing and fly-half, whereas Libbok is a specialist number 10. The presence of Hooker in the starting XV partly mitigates that concern, as the Sharks back can slot into centre if a positional reshuffle is required — avoiding a repeat of the crisis that saw Jesse Kriel shifted to the wing in the first Test after multiple injuries.

The remainder of the side is unchanged from Monday’s announcement. Captain Siya Kolisi, who was passed fit after coming through training, leads the team from blindside flanker alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit — who earns his 100th cap and becomes the 11th Springbok centurion — and Jasper Wiese. Prop Ox Nche reaches 50 caps. The forward pack and bench, including the returning Deon Fourie at replacement hooker, Thomas du Toit, Lood de Jager and Cameron Hanekom, remain as originally selected.

The All Blacks lead the four-match series 1-0 after their 33-16 victory at Ellis Park. Saturday’s match at DHL Stadium kicks off at 17:10 local time.

Revised Springboks:
15. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers, 53 caps)
14. Cheslin Kolbe (DHL Stormers, 51 caps)
13. Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles, 91 caps)
12. Damian de Allende (Wild Knights, 100 caps)
11. Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 10 caps)
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers, 21 caps)
9. Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers, 54 caps)
8. Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks, 46 caps)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz, 99 caps)
6. Siya Kolisi (c) (DHL Stormers, 104 caps)
5. Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears, 21 caps)
4. Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 143 caps)
3. Wilco Louw (DHL Stormers, 32 caps)
2. Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears, 90 caps)
1. Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 49 caps)

Replacements:
16. Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers, 13 caps)
17. Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls, 20 caps)
18. Thomas du Toit (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 34 caps)
19. Lood de Jager (Wild Knights, 74 caps)
20. Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks, 32 caps)
21. Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls, 3 caps)
22. Morne van den Berg (Lions, 7 caps)
23. Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners, 31 caps)

Match details: South Africa v New Zealand, DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Saturday 30 August, 17:10 (local time). Live on SuperSport.

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Captain Harry Wilson rested as Kiss overhauls pack for Pumas Test

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Captain Harry Wilson rested as Kiss overhauls pack for Pumas Test
Harry Wilson of Australia during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match England vs Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, United Kingdom, 1st November 2025 (Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images)

Les Kiss has rested captain Harry Wilson and overhauled his entire starting forward pack for the first Flight Centre Series Test against Argentina in San Salvador de Jujuy on Sunday morning, with Allan Alaalatoa named to captain the side for the seventh time as the new coach continues to explore his squad depth ahead of next year’s home World Cup.

Key team news:

  • Captain Harry Wilson rested entirely from the matchday 23 — the first time he has missed a Test since 2024
  • Allan Alaalatoa captains the side for the seventh time; Rob Valetini starts at number eight
  • Entirely new starting forward pack from the Townsville Test; Isaac Kailea starts his first Test since 2024
  • Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii named on the bench for the first time since 2024; Len Ikitau misses the matchday 23
  • Backline unchanged for a fourth consecutive Test; Paisami-Henry midfield partnership retained
  • Dylan Pietsch sent home with a foot injury, replaced in the squad by Jock Campbell

Wilson’s omission from the matchday 23 is the most eye-catching call in a team that features an entirely new pack from the side that demolished Japan 56-17 in Townsville a fortnight ago. It is the first time Wilson has missed a Test since 2024, having started 14 successive matches as captain across the Schmidt and Kiss eras.

“It’s been a long season. It’s just managing Harry in this match because there’s a lot of Tests to play as well,” Kiss told reporters. “We feel that we’ve got a lot of experience around that back row anyway with the other boys in there and certainly some experience with Allan in there as well.”

Kiss was emphatic that Wilson remains his long-term captain. “Harry’s the man who is in. He’s the man that I will back,” he said. “The characteristics that he’s shown in that jersey — he shows his emotion, his footy smarts, he’s a great footy player, has the respect of the players, works his bollocks off every time he’s on the pitch. The responsibility of that is massive, but I don’t want it to be a weight.”

Rob Valetini takes Wilson’s place at number eight, starting in the position for the first time since the defeat to South Africa last August. He is joined in the back row by Tom Hooper, who earns his first start of 2026 after recovering from the shoulder injury sustained against Ireland in July, and Fraser McReight, who returns to the openside.

The reshaping extends throughout the tight five. Melbourne-raised prop Isaac Kailea will play his first Test in over 18 months, named at loosehead alongside hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Alaalatoa at tighthead. Kailea, who has Chilean-Tongan heritage, has a family connection to the tour — his grandparents still live in neighbouring Chile’s capital, Santiago.

“It’s cool whether I play here in South America or if I get the chance to play in Tonga, representing both cultures is massive to me,” Kailea said. “You never really know when your next shot will be, so when I saw my name up on the team list, I was super excited. It’s been a while, so hopefully I can repay the faith that Les and the rest of the coaching staff have put in me.”

Kiss said he had been impressed by the 26-year-old Waratahs loosehead in training. “He’s a powerful athlete, supremely gifted with his footwork, he’s good over the ball, very good skills,” Kiss said. “He’s hard to handle as a ball carrier and he certainly is someone we want to see at this level, particularly in the set piece. Building the necessary depth in that area is crucial for us.”

Josh Canham and Jeremy Williams resume their second-row partnership, having started together in all three Nations Championship Tests in July. Taniela Tupou, who scored three tries across the two Japan Tests, has been rested but is expected to return for the second Test in Mendoza. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto also misses the matchday 23.

In contrast to the wholesale forward changes, the backline is unchanged for a fourth consecutive Test. Carter Gordon continues at fly-half alongside Ryan Lonergan, while the Reds midfield pairing of Hunter Paisami and Isaac Henry has been retained ahead of both fit-again Len Ikitau and the returning Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

The decision to name Suaalii on the bench — for the first time in over 645 days, since his second cap against Wales in November 2024 — and leave Ikitau out of the matchday 23 entirely is a pointed call. Kiss said the decision was about maintaining continuity in the midfield while giving Ikitau another week to adjust after his ankle injury.

“Joseph is coming back from that hamstring, a slight little twinge there, he trained well,” Kiss said. “There’s an opportunity just to maintain some continuity in that midfield. Joseph can likely cover 13 at this stage. It’s the first position he’ll cover because we know Zac [Isaac Henry] can go to 12 if we need to as well. It’s just trying to use our resources in different ways.”

The back three of fullback Tom Wright, who wins his 49th cap, and wingers Harry Potter and Max Jorgensen is unchanged. Winger Dylan Pietsch has been sent home with a foot injury sustained in training, replaced in the touring squad by Jock Campbell, who had been a surprise omission from the original Argentina touring party.

Billy Pollard, Angus Bell and Wallaby number 1000 Massimo De Lutiis form the replacement front row, while Lachlan Shaw and Charlie Cale will play their first Tests away from home as the substitute lock and back-rower respectively. Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson and Suaalii complete the bench.

Kiss framed his rotation as a deliberate strategy to build two competitive XVs ahead of the World Cup. “Now, I need to know that I’ve got two good 15s,” he said. “Each Test match certainly narrows it down, but I don’t want to come down to just the 15. If that number gets larger, then that competitive pressure, I really do believe, can help the team thrive. It may not seem like order from what you’re seeing, but it’s making sense internally.”

Argentina have lost three of their four Tests in 2026 and are without several key France-based players, including hooker Julián Montoya, centre Santiago Chocobares, winger Mateo Carreras and back-rower Marcos Kremer. Veteran flanker Pablo Matera will captain a young Pumas side that includes 147-kilogram tighthead prop Francisco Moreno, who wins just his second cap.

But Kiss warned against complacency. “This team has an uncanny way of getting into your eye-line, into your attack space, and it puts your skills under pressure,” he said. “So we’ve worked on making sure we understand how that’s going to have an impact on how we can play with the ball. We’ve got to be smart and use that kicking game smartly as well.”

The Wallabies arrived in Jujuy on Thursday after being delayed at Buenos Aires airport for four hours, giving the team under two days to acclimatise to the mountain town, which sits at 1,200 metres above sea level. A fourth consecutive win would be Australia’s longest winning run since Dave Rennie was in charge in 2021.

Wallabies team to play Argentina

Starting XV: 15. Tom Wright (ACT Brumbies, 48 caps), 14. Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs, 25 caps), 13. Isaac Henry (Queensland Reds, 2 caps), 12. Hunter Paisami (Queensland Reds, 37 caps), 11. Harry Potter (NSW Waratahs, 14 caps), 10. Carter Gordon (Queensland Reds, 11 caps), 9. Ryan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies, 10 caps), 8. Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies, 66 caps), 7. Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds, 44 caps), 6. Tom Hooper (Exeter Chiefs, 23 caps), 5. Jeremy Williams (Western Force, 30 caps), 4. Josh Canham (Queensland Reds, 6 caps), 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c) (ACT Brumbies, 92 caps), 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Western Force, 29 caps), 1. Isaac Kailea (NSW Waratahs, 8 caps).

Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies, 22 caps), 17. Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs, 55 caps), 18. Massimo De Lutiis (Queensland Reds, 1 cap), 19. Lachlan Shaw (ACT Brumbies, 3 caps), 20. Charlie Cale (ACT Brumbies, 4 caps), 21. Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds, 55 caps), 22. Ben Donaldson (Western Force, 23 caps), 23. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (NSW Waratahs, 22 caps).

Match details: Argentina v Wallabies, Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy. Sunday 30 August, 5.00am AEST.

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Bower starts as All Blacks make three changes for Boks sequel

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Bower starts as All Blacks make three changes for Boks sequel
George Bower during the All Blacks team naming Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, 27 August 2026. (Photo by John Cowpland / action press)

Dave Rennie has been forced into three starting changes for the second Test against the Springboks at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, with concussion protocols ruling out two key forwards from the side that won 33-16 at Ellis Park. George Bower, whose replacement front row turned the first Test in the All Blacks’ favour, starts at loosehead in place of Ethan de Groot, while Simon Parker comes in at blindside flanker after Tupou Vaa’i moves to the second row to replace the concussed Josh Lord.

Key squad news:

  • George Bower starts at loosehead after Ethan de Groot fails to clear HIA protocols from the first Test
  • Josh Lord also ruled out on a 12-day concussion stand-down; Tupou Vaa’i moves from blindside to lock
  • Simon Parker drafted in at blindside flanker to complete the forward reshuffle
  • Leroy Carter starts on the left wing in place of Josh Moorby, who moves to the bench
  • Xavier Numia provides loosehead cover on the bench; Patrick Tuipulotu is lock cover
  • An All Blacks win would clinch the series with two Tests still to play

De Groot and Lord have not cleared HIA return-to-play protocols following the sickening head-on-head collision between the two All Blacks in the 38th minute of the first Test. Both are on mandatory 12-day stand-downs. Their absence forces a significant reshuffle to the pack, with Vaa’i — who made the same positional shift when the pair left the field in Johannesburg — now entrusted with a starting role at lock alongside the outstanding Fabian Holland.

Bower’s promotion to the starting side is fitting reward for the 31-year-old Crusaders prop, whose impact off the bench in the first Test was arguably the decisive factor in the All Blacks’ victory. He and replacement hooker Asafo Aumua and tighthead Fletcher Newell stabilised and then reversed the scrum dominance that the Springboks had enjoyed in the first half, with the pivotal 56th-minute scrum penalty on the All Blacks’ own 5m line the moment that changed the match.

“While we were happy with the win last week, I think both teams will be better this weekend,” Rennie said. “We’ve played four Tests this year and are still growing as a group. I’m really excited about the competition for places and the performances of the squad across the matches here in South Africa, and we’re really looking forward to this weekend.”

The sole change in the backline sees Leroy Carter start on the left wing in place of Josh Moorby, who drops to outside back cover on the bench. Carter has been one of the revelations of the tour, scoring six tries across the franchise matches and consistently threatening with his pace and footwork. Moorby started the first Test and scored from Vaa’i’s brilliant offload, but Carter’s prolific try-scoring run has earned him the nod.

The remainder of the starting XV is unchanged. Captain Ardie Savea packs down at number eight alongside Luke Jacobson at openside and the newly promoted Parker, whose workmanlike contributions across the tour have been quietly effective. Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax complete the front row, while the backline of Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie is retained in its entirety.

The bench carries a 5-3 split with Xavier Numia providing loosehead cover and Tuipulotu offering lock depth. Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Anton Lienert-Brown and Moorby round out the reserves. Notably, Ethan Blackadder — who produced the performance of the tour against the Lions on Tuesday with two tries and 16 carries — misses out on the matchday 23, as does Wallace Sititi.

Blackadder’s omission is a talking point given the scale of his display against the Lions, but Rennie has opted for continuity in the loose forwards, retaining the Parker-Jacobson-Savea combination from the first Test and backing Lakai to provide the impact off the bench. Blackadder’s tour has nonetheless been transformative — his stock has risen immeasurably since arriving in South Africa, and his case for inclusion in the third and fourth Tests is as strong as anyone’s.

The Springboks have responded to their 33-16 defeat with wholesale changes. Handré Pollard replaces Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half, Cobus Reinach comes in at scrumhalf, and Ethan Hooker fills the wing vacancy left by the injured Cheslin Kolbe. Captain Siya Kolisi has been bracketed with Paul de Villiers at blindside as he works his way back from a grade-two hamstring tear sustained against Argentina on 8 August. Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain the side and earn his 100th Test cap, while loosehead Ox Nche reaches 50 caps. If Kolisi starts, the Springboks will field their most experienced starting XV in history, with a combined 1,012 Test caps.

The veteran flanker Deon Fourie, who was outstanding for the Stormers against the All Blacks in the tour opener, returns to a Springbok matchday squad for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final. Erasmus has opted for a 6-2 forwards-backs bench split, underlining his intention to bludgeon the All Blacks with forward power.

A victory on Saturday would give the All Blacks the series with two Tests still to play and confirm their first series triumph in South Africa since Sean Fitzpatrick’s ‘Incomparables’ in 1996 — 30 years ago to the month. Rennie, however, has been careful not to let his side look beyond the immediate challenge.

McKenzie will be playing his 34th consecutive Test on Saturday, while Jordan — who extended his All Blacks try-scoring record to 53 with his two-try display at Ellis Park — sits alongside England’s Rory Underwood in sixth place on the men’s international Test try-scoring list.

The match will be the All Blacks’ second appearance at DHL Stadium, with all ten previous Tests between the sides in Cape Town played at Newlands. The Springboks won the last encounter in Cape Town, beating the All Blacks 18-12 during the 2024 Rugby Championship.

All Blacks team for the second Test

DHL Stadium, Cape Town. Saturday 29 August, kick-off 5.10pm local time (3.10am Sunday 30 August NZT).

1. George Bower (27 caps), 2. Codie Taylor (110), 3. Tyrel Lomax (52), 4. Fabian Holland (13), 5. Tupou Vaa’i (48), 6. Simon Parker (9), 7. Luke Jacobson (28), 8. Ardie Savea (c) (110), 9. Cam Roigard (21), 10. Ruben Love (9), 11. Leroy Carter (8), 12. Jordie Barrett (82), 13. Quinn Tupaea (27), 14. Will Jordan (58), 15. Damian McKenzie (78).

Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua (23), 17. Xavier Numia (2), 18. Fletcher Newell (38), 19. Patrick Tuipulotu (57), 20. Peter Lakai (11), 21. Kyle Preston (2), 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (91), 23. Josh Moorby (3).

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All Blacks survive Lions scare to complete franchise clean sweep

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All Blacks survive Lions scare to complete franchise clean sweep
All Blacks Ethan Blackadder scores a try during the All Blacks v Lions match, Rugbys Greatest Rivalry, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday, 25 August 2026. (Photo by Anton Geyser / action press)

The All Blacks completed a clean sweep of the franchise fixtures on the Greatest Rivalry Tour, but only after producing a remarkable comeback to beat the Lions 41-35 in a breathless 12-try thriller at Ellis Park. Trailing 17-35 in the second half, Rieko Ioane’s individual brilliance and Ethan Blackadder’s extraordinary all-action display inspired 24 unanswered points as the tourists survived the most serious scare of their tour.

Key moments

Pre-match – Late change: Ofa Tu’ungafasi ruled out with illness. Xavier Numia replaces him on the bench.

5 mins – TRY LIONS: Nico Steyn sells a dummy from a ruck and bursts through to score under the posts. Chris Smith converts. (Lions 7–0 All Blacks)

7 mins – TRY LIONS: Siba Mahashe intercepts a loose Ethan Blackadder loop pass after a lineout and races away to score. Smith converts. (Lions 14–0 All Blacks)

17 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Emoni Narawa scoops the ball from a ruck, beats three defenders and sends Noah Hotham over. Beauden Barrett converts. (Lions 14–7 All Blacks)

25 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Timoci Tavatavanawai produces a trademark powerful run before the ball is shifted wide to Emoni Narawa, who runs in untouched. Barrett’s conversion misses. (Lions 14–12 All Blacks)

32 mins – TRY LIONS: Nico Steyn draws defenders and sends Kelly Mpeku over in the corner. Smith converts his third. (Lions 21–12 All Blacks)

36 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Ethan Blackadder rounds off a well-worked team try. Barrett’s conversion misses. (Lions 21–17 All Blacks)

38 mins – TRY DISALLOWED: Fehi Fineanganofo appears to have scored but referee Angus Gardner spots a forward pass in the build-up.

Half-time: Lions 21–17 All Blacks. The Lions scored three tries to stun the tourists and take a four-point lead at the break. Steyn and Mahashe were outstanding, the home scrum was solid, and Blackadder’s loop pass gift-wrapped the Lions’ second try. The All Blacks fought back through Hotham, Narawa and Blackadder, but were error-prone and lacked the clinical edge of their earlier tour performances.

42 mins – TRY LIONS: Siba Mahashe keeps his feet inside the line despite Ioane’s tackle. Erich Cronje kicks through and collects for the Lions’ fourth try. Smith converts. (Lions 28–17 All Blacks)

50 mins – TRY LIONS: Captain Francke Horn powers over from a pushover scrum after sustained forward pressure. Smith converts his fifth from five. (Lions 35–17 All Blacks)

52 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Rieko Ioane steps big off his left foot and sprints 40m through the Lions’ defence to score. Mo’unga converts. (Lions 35–24 All Blacks)

56 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Rieko Ioane intercepts and races away for his second. Mo’unga converts. (Lions 35–31 All Blacks)

62 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Ethan Blackadder initiates a 50m exchange of passes with Ioane and Tavatavanawai before finishing the move himself. Unconverted. (Lions 35–36 All Blacks)

63 mins – All Blacks lead for the first time in the match.

76 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Emoni Narawa dives over in the corner after the All Blacks win a powerful scrum and go wide. Mo’unga’s conversion misses, but the tourists have done enough. (Lions 35–41 All Blacks)

Full-time: Lions 35–41 All Blacks


For 50 minutes in Johannesburg, the Lions threatened to rip up the script of this entire tour. Their spirited, fearless display — enriched by the return of Springbok duo Boan Venter and Quan Horn — saw them race to a 35-17 lead before half-time and deep into the second half, and it was not until a 24-point blitz in the final half-hour that the All Blacks finally pulled clear. It was far too loose at times from the tourists, but the comeback that followed was as stirring as anything produced on this tour.

The Lions came out swinging from the kick-off, and within seven minutes the All Blacks found themselves staring down the barrel of an embarrassing upset. Halfback Nico Steyn, a product of King Edward VII School just a short drive from Ellis Park, dummied from the base of a ruck in the fifth minute and sliced through to score under the posts. Chris Smith converted. Then came the moment that would haunt Blackadder — standing at the base of the front ball at a lineout, he threw a looping pass that had all the impetus of an autumn leaf; barnstorming blindside flanker Siba Mahashe collected it and sprinted away to score from 28 metres. Smith converted again and the Lions led 14-0.

From that early error, Blackadder channelled his frustration into an extraordinary 80-minute performance. He finished with 16 carries — more than anyone on the park — two tries, multiple turnovers and an engine that simply would not quit. “The Lions came out hissing,” Blackadder said afterwards. “But we stayed composed and found a way in the end. They were quality tonight.”

Rennie was effusive in his praise. “He was all over the park,” the head coach said. “He got his hands on a lot of ball post tackle. He carried a lot for us and made a lot of tackles. Support play. He’s got a big engine, Ethan, he’s all arms and legs and had a massive impact on the game tonight.”

The All Blacks’ response to the early deficit came in the 17th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Emoni Narawa. The Chiefs winger scooped the ball from a ruck, beat three defenders and sent Noah Hotham — who otherwise endured a forgettable evening after the intercept error — over for the tourists’ first score. Barrett converted. Narawa was at it again in the 25th minute, running in untouched after Timoci Tavatavanawai had done the hard work with one of his trademark steamrolling carries. Barrett’s conversion missed, leaving the All Blacks trailing 14-12.

The Lions restored their advantage through Steyn’s second assist, the halfback drawing defenders before sending winger Kelly Mpeku over in the corner. Smith kicked his third conversion. The schoolkids from King Edward in their blazers and those from Jeppe and other local schools roared their approval — this was exactly what midweek tour matches were designed to produce.

Blackadder’s first try, a well-worked team effort in the 36th minute, narrowed the deficit to four before Fehi Fineanganofo appeared to have scored on the stroke of half-time, only for referee Angus Gardner to rule out the try for a forward pass in the build-up. The Lions took a 21-17 lead into the break, having scored the most points against the All Blacks on tour.

Rennie’s halftime message was to throw the first punch in the second half. But the Lions did, again. Forty-two seconds after the restart, Mahashe kept his feet inside the touchline despite Ioane’s desperate tackle, and winger Erich Cronje kicked through and collected for the fourth try. Smith converted and the Lions led 28-17. Then came the pushover: captain Francke Horn powered over from a scrum that had the All Blacks creaking, and Smith’s fifth conversion from five attempts made it 35-17. The tourists were on the ropes.

The tide turned after the replacement front row of Xavier Numia, Bradley Slater and debutant Saula Ma’u entered the contest. The scrum stabilised, then began to dominate, and the Lions’ preseason conditioning visibly fell away. Ioane struck first in the 52nd minute, stepping big off his left foot in the midfield before sprinting 40 metres through exhausted defenders to score under the posts. Mo’unga converted, and the deficit was back to 11.

Four minutes later, Ioane struck again. The 88-cap back intercepted a loose Lions pass — the same medicine the hosts had administered to the tourists in the first half — and raced away untouched. Mo’unga’s conversion made it 35-31 and the momentum had swung irrevocably. “It was grit and guts,” Ioane said. “Wherever my role is for the team, that’s what I’m doing, and I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”

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Ioane, who played against the Lions twice for Leinster during his stint in Ireland earlier this year, was well aware of the threat they posed. “This is my third time playing this Lions team, and I sort of knew coming into this game that they were probably the least affected in terms of international selection,” he said. “So they’re a tight-knit group, and every single game I played them this year, it’s been tight.”

The lead changed hands in the 62nd minute when Blackadder produced the try of the match. He initiated a 50-metre exchange of passes with Ioane and Tavatavanawai that swept the length of the park before finishing the move himself. The conversion missed but the All Blacks led 36-35 — the first time they had been in front all evening. “I haven’t scored two since club rugby back in 2016,” Blackadder grinned. “So yeah, pretty lucky.”

Narawa sealed the win in the 76th minute after two powerful scrums gave the All Blacks the platform to go wide, the winger diving over in the corner. Mo’unga’s conversion drifted wide but it mattered little. The All Blacks had won 41-35 and completed a five-from-five sweep of the franchise fixtures, scoring 29 tries and conceding 13 across those four matches.

The match also carried significant implications for the second Test. Rennie revealed that Anton Segner’s tour is over after the Blues flanker failed to recover from the acute inflammatory arthritis in his ankle that forced him out of the first Test matchday 23. The news is a blow to the touring squad but enhances Blackadder’s chances of involvement on Saturday, and on this evidence, the Crusaders flanker has made an unanswerable case.

Richie Mo’unga completed the full 80 minutes on his return to the All Blacks jersey, looking calm and composed without setting the world alight. His kicking from hand was generally sharp and he produced a trademark line break late in the match that the All Blacks could not capitalise on. Patrick Tuipulotu, likely to start at lock in place of the concussed Josh Lord on Saturday, was withdrawn at half-time as a precaution — Rennie wanting to ensure the veteran had 40 valuable minutes in his legs without risking him further ahead of the second Test in Cape Town.

Debutant prop Saula Ma’u came off the bench in the second half and made an immediate impact, providing the scrum stability that allowed the All Blacks to build their comeback platform. The Highlanders loosehead described the moment as “unreal.”

The All Blacks now head to Cape Town for the second Test against the Springboks at DHL Stadium on Saturday, leading the series 1-0. Rassie Erasmus has made wholesale changes after the first Test defeat, with Siya Kolisi cleared to return from a hamstring injury to captain the side. Three Tests remain, and while this franchise clean sweep has been impressive, the tourists know the Springboks will bring a ferocity in Cape Town that even the Lions at their most inspired could not match.

Teams

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Boan Venter, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Boeta Chamberlain.

All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 11 Emoni Narawa, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Semisi Ta’eiloa, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 4 Sam Darry, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Siale Lauaki.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Josh Jacomb, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.

Match details

Lions 35 (Tries: Steyn, Mahashe, Mpeku, Cronje, Horn; Conversions: Smith 5/5)
All Blacks 41 (Tries: Hotham, Narawa 2, Blackadder 2, Ioane 2; Conversions: Barrett 1/3, Mo’unga 2/4)
Half-time: 21–17 (Lions)

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Player of the match: Rieko Ioane (All Blacks)

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