When it really matters, Pollard gets the vote
So in the week that we learnt a proper All Blacks tour of South Africa is likely in 2026, the two sides contested what felt like a series decider in itself after their intriguing back-to-back Rugby Championship fixtures which have brightened up our viewing recently.
After last week’s high octane encounter at Ellis Park there was always going to be a drop off in quality but a little bit of history was made nonetheless.
This was, rather to the surprise of everybody, the first time South Africa have beaten New Zealand four times on the trot since 1949 when the All Blacks lost the series 4-0 in South Africa. It should be stated that New Zealand were not allowed to select – or weren’t brave enough to select – any of their Māori players which considerably weakened an already less than vintage squad.
This time their four wins were achieved in that pre World Cup friendly at Twickenham, the World Cup final in Paris and then this double header in South Africa. When you consider some of the mighty teams South Africa have fielded over the decades – not least four World Cup winning squads – it speaks volumes about the current group.
In many ways the last fortnight has been a toe back in the water for the concept of incoming tours between these two great rugby nations. There is time for the opposing coaches to both get in a panic and/or rectify errors and we had a bit of both in this contest.
For South Africa Rassie Erasmus suddenly, for reasons best known to himself, decided to drop fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu who was so impressive in orchestrating that win at Ellis Park.
Actually, let’s not be coy, we know the reason, for games that really count the Boks default setting is to call up Handre Pollard on account of his world class siege gun boot. Now Pollard didn’t do a whole lot wrong yesterday but he wasn’t remotely the threat or catalyst for South Africa’s other backs that SFM is. This is an ongoing dilemma Erasmus must wrestle with.
After last week’s Test the All Blacks went away from Johannesburg knowing that they needed to clean their act up at the breakdown where they had started to haemorrhage penalties in the second half. This they successfully accomplished while it seems South Africa rested on their laurels a little and this time it was they who incurred the wrath of officialdom.
With the New Zealand pack, after being badly monstered in the first two scrums yesterday, to a large extent recovering, this was a difficult game for the Boks. For long periods in the first half the All Blacks dominated territorially and in terms of possession but to these eyes they are struggling a bit at centre which is remarkable considering that implies criticism on Jordy Barrett and Reiko Ioane, class acts both. So be it. Their link with Damian Mckenzie can still be clunky and you would expect such a talented midfield, augmented by Will Jordan and then Beauden Barrett at full-back, to work a few more clear cut openings for wings Sevu Reece and Mark Telea. Of course it could just be that against them the rejuvenated Jesse Kriel and the rock formation known as Damain de Allende were immense and permitted no time or space.
There were many plusses for the Kiwis though. The name Wallace Sititi may ring a few distant bells. His Dad is the much admired Semo Sititi, a one-man army and backrow warrior for Samoa back in the day who played in three World Cups for Manu Samoa – he often captained the side and was the man who finished off that wonder try for Samoa when they gave England plenty of hurry up at RWC2003.
He is also the guy who put in great shifts for the Border Reivers and Newcastle and thereby hangs a tale. His strapping son Wallace was born in Samoa, indeed he is essentially Samoan, but spent his first five years living in Scotland while Semo played for the Reivers and so enamoured were the family with the film Braveheart that he was named Wallace.
The much-travelled Wallace, still only 21, then spent seven years in Japan where the family moved next and only really concentrated on rugby in his mid-teens by which time the family were in Auckland and he was starring for De la Salle College. Yesterday he was exceptional in his first start for New Zealand, playing in the style of his father. Fast, very direct, strong and remorseless. New Zealand have yet another back row prospect on their hands.
