The Springboks were rudely reminded of the difficulties of Test match rugby in New Zealand when they were beaten 35-20 by the All Blacks at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday. | Sport24news NZLvRSA
The All Blacks took a 17-0 lead in 16 minutes and led 20-3 at half-time, mountains that were too big for South Africa to recover from.
The Boks, who flew players over early to prepare for the game, were let down by their starting pack and back row in particular, who failed to live with New Zealand's physicality and intensity. The only crumb of comfort for the Boks was the fact they scored their first tries in Auckland since 1997 in their first Test in the City of Sails since the 2017 57-0 annihilation, but the margin of defeat was uncomfortably wide despite the second half fightback.
They were quickly reminded that they were playing against the All Blacks, in New Zealand and in a city where they haven't lost a Test in 29 years. They couldn't get past the gain-line and they were smashed back in the tackle. Critically, they couldn't get any back-row parity as Franco Mostert, Kwagga Smith, and Jasper Wiese simply couldn't get into the game.
The start of the second half was also error-strewn, with De Klerk also overcooking a 48th-minute penalty.
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