The Springboks beat the All Blacks 29-24 in their Test match at the FNB Stadium on Saturday. Picture: BackpagePix
The Springboks survived a typical All Blacks fightback and a brutal arm-wrestle at Soccer City to edge New Zealand 29-24 and seize a 2-1 lead in the Greatest Rivalry series on Saturday evening.
In a match that had virtually everything — bone-rattling hits, yellow cards, controversial moments, set-piece dominance and four tries apiece — the Boks held their nerve when it mattered most to claim a victory that will rank among the hardest-fought in the 112-match history between these great rivals.
The teams board a charter plane on Saturday night for the USA finale in Baltimore with the Boks holding the advantage.
The build-up to kick-off was back to convention — no selectorial high jinks from Rassie Erasmus, and no flyover after Airlink pilots who elected to spare trauma to the worldwide observers who got their knickers in a knot the week before.
