Following the defeat by the All Blacks in the first match of the greatest rivalry in rugby, Springboks captain Peter-Steph du Toit stated the need to review the team's tactics.
On Saturday evening, the South African team lost to the New Zealanders in Ellis Park with a score of 33-16, allowing the All Blacks to start a winning streak. The only try for the Springboks was scored by substitute Andre Esterhuizen.
Despite the Springboks dominating the first half, they began to fall behind in the second half, and the New Zealanders were able to capitalize on their chances to secure the victory.
The Greatest Rivalry in Rugby
Du Toit reacted to the loss, stating that the team needs to return to the beginning of their work to understand what can be improved. He noted that the team made mistakes and failed to realize its potential.
"We made mistakes and couldn't convert our chances," Du Toit said in a post-match interview. "Unfortunately, we put ourselves in a difficult position, and in a match like this, these small shortcomings and opportunities matter. We will definitely have to go back to the drawing board and see what we did wrong and where we can improve."
It was noted that the Springboks had many opportunities but failed to utilize them. The team will have to correct these issues before the second confrontation, which will take place in Cape Town on Saturday.
It was also observed that decision-making—when to attack for points and when to keep the opponent under pressure—worked against the Springboks. They had chances to convert penalties or hold the New Zealanders in the 22-meter zone, but they chose a different approach. Their efforts were marred by missed tackles, lost balls in attack, and incorrect choices at certain moments.
All Blacks captain Ardie Savea noted that he expected a physically intense match. "I cannot fault my guys for their effort tonight; it was a boxing match," he stated. "It all came down to moments of pressure, and I think we fought excellently where it was tense, and ultimately succeeded."