All Blacks keep Eden Park record intact with thrilling victory over Springboks

Saturday, 6 September 2025

At Eden Park, Auckland: All Blacks 24 (Emoni Narawa 2’, Will Jordan 14’, Quinn Tupaea 67’ tries; Jordie Barrett, Damian McKenzie 2 con, pen) Springboks 17 (Malcolm Marx 62’, Cobus Reinach 73’ tries; Handrè Pollard pen, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2 con). HT: 14-3. Yellow card: Kwagga Smith (Springboks).

Breathe, New Zealand. The All Blacks kept their supreme Eden Park record intact after repelling a late Springboks comeback in Saturday night’s thriller.

Scott Robertson can savour a priceless 24-17 win in the biggest match of his coaching career in Auckland, bouncing back from their stumble in Argentina a fortnight ago.

He might have grown more grey hairs in the final minutes as the world champions gave his All Blacks an almighty fright, but they hung on to boost their hopes of regaining the Rugby Championship title from South Africa.

For the record, the All Blacks extended their unbeaten streak at their Auckland fortress to 51 tests over 31 years and the inspirational Ardie Savea, in his 100th test, came up with the key defensive turnover at the death.

Veteran first five-eighth Beauden Barrett was also superb and involved in creating the All Blacks’ three tries.

His deft pass to give replacement midfielder Quinn Tupaea the decisive score was all class and gave the All Blacks breathing room after Kwagga Smith’s sinbinning.

The Boks had threatened to storm back when turning over an All Blacks’ scrum to trim the deficit to seven points with hooker Malcolm Marx’s try.

Their fightback was stunted by a vital escort penalty from the restart and the All Blacks battered the South African line for Tupaea to cross in the biggest moment of his fleeting 18-test career.

However, the Boks came again and reserve halfback Cobus Reinach’s late try made the hosts sweat to the end.

All Blacks No 10 Barrett was, crucially, superior to counterpart Handrè Pollard, who had a difficult night in the soggy conditions. At one point, he slipped in launching a high kick and couldn’t give his team the platform to apply enough pressure.

The occasion was massive, Eden Park brimming with tension and full of the shrieks of joy from the colourful Springboks fans, sprinkled among the black in the sellout crowd of 48,312.

There were waves of eager South Africans around the ground beforehand, but coach Rassie Erasmus would have been frustrated with the multiple handling errors his side made in the wet conditions.

A kicking bombardment was expected. It came and caused chaos. The fans might have sore necks from glancing skywards so often as both teams went to the air.

Neither starting halfback, Finlay Christie or South Africa’s Grant Williams, covered themselves in glory, although they had a thankless task launching box kicks under pressure from the big men around the ruck.

Space was tight. Defences were rapid and bruising. Even diminutive Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe had the force to bring down a much larger man in All Blacks midfielder Jordie Barrett, who always carried bravely into some punishing contact.

Emoni Narawa was early collateral damage after a nasty tumble. His departure forced Will Jordan to the right flank and Damian McKenzie came on at fullback to face South Africa’s barrage.

Jordan was an attacking threat but fumbled a few bombs again, while McKenzie took some screamers, but nobody was perfect. Not least the Springboks.

The All Blacks, too, were peppering them with bombs. Kicking was in vogue in a brutal battleground. Hooker Codie Taylor left with a head knock (failing his HIA), as did impressive No 8 Wallace Sititi and Jordie Barrett.

Loose forward Savea tried his luck with his customary chip in some escape from the fierce breakdown battle. He did come up with the most important play with his turnover when the Springboks were pushing to force a draw.

Simon Parker was outstanding at blindside flanker in just his second test, imposing his giant frame against the Boks, as was Tupou Vaa’i on returning to lock.

Rieko Ioane’s crucial try-saving tackle denied the Springboks on a roll and excellent prop Fletcher Newell battled at tighthead against the visitors’ powerful scrum.

Beauden Barrett caught everyone by surprise with an early kick that Narawa, the main change on the right wing, finished with a sublime dummy after hitting the deck.

Narawa’s night was soon over after just six minutes. He injured a rib contesting the first of many high kicks, but the All Blacks were not deterred from going to the air.

One of the Springboks’ trick plays, a midfield lineout, failed after a fumble in their sloppy start as flashes of Auckland’s rain hammered the turf.

Their regularly assured lineout was dysfunctional, albeit stealing some of the All Blacks’ throws in scrappy reaches for the wet ball.

Barrett’s incredible 50/22 was a rare moment of genuine quality in the first half, leading to the lineout from which Jordan scored a scintillating second try from Sititi’s fine pass.

Pollard jabbed his own, but the All Blacks survived. McKenzie booted the first points of the second half with a relieving penalty before the flurry of tries in a frantic finale.

The big picture

The Rugby Championship remains wide open at the halfway stage. Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies scored at the death to stun Argentina 28-24 in Townsville on Saturday.

Of greater concern, however, was the All Blacks maintaining their streak at Eden Park. It endures. South Africa’s 88-year wait to win there goes on.

The All Blacks also snapped a four-match losing streak against South Africa.

What’s next

The old foes meet in Wellington next Saturday night. The Springboks will come again. Robertson gained the win he so badly needed after that awful 29-23 loss to Argentina.