Damian Willemse notes Proteas' dominance and Springboks' success after victory over the All Blacks

Damian Willemse, the Springboks fullback, played a crucial role in South Africa overcoming a 1-0 deficit to defeat the All Blacks 3-1, thereby winning the title of 'Greatest Rugby Rivalry'.

Willemse, a versatile defender for the Springboks, already has two World Cup medals and participation in the triumph of the British & Irish Lions, but his final phase of international career in matches brought another significant achievement.

He became a key figure for the South African team, which managed to turn the tide of the matches to beat the All Blacks 3-1 in the debut four-match series of the 'Greatest Rugby Rivalry'. Willemse was significantly involved in the 43-28 victory in Baltimore, following his return from an injury that caused him to miss the second match. This win added another special achievement to his already impressive international career.

At only 28 years old, he achieved more than most players throughout their careers, yet he dedicated his success to the favorable environment and the privilege of wearing the green and gold colours. Willemse stated: 'Yes, it is very special. When you step onto the field representing the Springboks, and the Springboks are in your heart, you just want to go out there and make everyone proud—your teammates, your family, and South Africa.'

He continued: 'When I go out there with all my friends and buddies, it is a dream come true. So this victory belongs not only to us; it also belongs to South Africa.'

The achievement became even more valuable due to the Springboks' ability to turn the series around after losing the first test match at Ellis Park stadium. After South Africa lost first place in the world rankings following a 33-16 defeat in Johannesburg, the team responded with three consecutive victories: in Cape Town (33-26), Soweto (29-24), and finally in Baltimore, concluding the series 3-1.

Willemse believes that the failure in the first match forced the group to look at themselves more closely, which triggered the desired reaction. He noted that after the first match, there were certain aspects of the game they needed to work on, and perhaps they had not been paying enough attention to them.

He added that this allowed the group to do internal work, help each other, improve the game, and focus completely. He expressed gratitude to the coaching staff for developing plans and solutions that helped them regain confidence after the first match. He emphasized that it was a huge event, especially for many players for whom it was one of the first major series, and the team's growth during the National Series is a significant positive point.

The final match in Baltimore was physically demanding as the All Blacks tried to level the score after halftime. They increased the pace and tried to unsettle the world champions. Nevertheless, South Africa's defence repeatedly repelled attacks at the try line, keeping the opponent at bay.

Willemse was particularly proud of how the team reacted when New Zealand pressured them before halftime, and he was glad they maintained their composure. He noted that it was a difficult match, and they expected its difficulty. He also mentioned that New Zealand, being down 2-1, aimed to attack and level the series.

However, in his opinion, the decisive factor was how they reacted after halftime when the opponent scored a try. The team stuck to its principles, implemented the plans developed during the break, and he is very proud of all the team members, the coaching staff, and all participants for finding answers and playing decisively. Overall, he expressed satisfaction with the series victory, noting that it means a great deal to them and to South Africa.

The Springboks secured a convincing victory over the All Blacks with a score of 43–28 in the final match of the greatest rugby rivalry series, held in Baltimore. This win allowed South Africa to claim a historic 3–1 series victory.

The second half of the match proved decisive, as the Springboks managed to pull away from the New Zealand team in Maryland state. The victory was ensured by dominance in the forwards and precise execution of attacks in the backline.

The game took place at M&T Bank Stadium in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The South African team overcame the resistance of the competitive New Zealand squad by utilizing a destructive combination of forward power and backline skill. This triumph concluded an unforgettable multi-match tour in the United States.

The Greatest Rugby Rivalry

The Springboks demonstrated both power and style to defeat the All Blacks in the final match of the series. This secured them a historic 3–1 victory, allowing head coach Rassie Erasmus to mark his significant one hundred and first Test match in the series.

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Despite Cheslin Kolbe sustaining a jaw fracture, which forces him to miss the final match of the series in Baltimore, Rassie Erasmus highly praised the epic victory of the Springboks over the All Blacks with a score of 29-24. This victory allowed the Springboks to take a 2-1 lead in the greatest rugby rivalry.

The Greatest Rugby Rivalry

Rassie Erasmus called the match an 'epic' battle, but he reported that Cheslin Kolbe was injured and will be unable to participate in next week's match in Baltimore. The victory achieved in Soccer City gave the Springboks the lead in the confrontation, but it came at the cost of losing key players on both sides in a match played in an extremely tense atmosphere.

Although the All Blacks still have a chance to level the score in Baltimore, Erasmus realizes that his team will require another monumental effort in the USA.

'It was truly an epic test match,' said Erasmus, his voice hoarse after eighty minutes as he directed his players via microphone. 'The All Blacks can still level the score in Baltimore, but obviously, we are happy tonight.'

The second half of the match saw the Springboks lose Kolbe, and New Zealand suffered a serious blow when captain Ardie Savea was forced off the field.

Erasmus added, 'I don't want to complain again because I got into trouble for it, and I apologize for that,' he said with a smile. 'But yes, it was epic. It was intense. It was a really good test match in every sense of the word, because we were pushed to the limit.'

He continued, 'Both teams lost vital players. We lost Cheslin, and I regret to tell you that he has a fractured jaw, so obviously, he won't travel to the USA. They lost their captain, Savea.'

'It was a fierce battle in all departments, and the final score showed how close it was. We are just happy we won. Now both teams are flying to the USA, and we understand that we must repeat this in Baltimore.'

Erasmus was particularly impressed by the All Blacks' ability to retain possession and create opportunities from play after infringements. He noted, 'They handle the ball brilliantly. None of us can say they don't retain the ball; they play according to their strengths.'

The Springboks also faced a yellow card for Sacha Feinberg-Musengomozulu, which exacerbated the setbacks caused by Kolbe's injury. Erasmus mentioned, 'Last week we lost Damian Willemse in the first half, and this week it was Cheslin, and then we had a yellow card for Sacha.'

'This put us under pressure, and we had to develop plans,' he added. The teams were tied 12-12 at halftime, but Erasmus admitted that the Springboks could not fully utilize the conditions before the break and knew that the wind would be a factor after the rest.

'Fortunately, the score was level at halftime, 12-12, but then we realized we were playing against the wind,' he said. 'I don't think we fully utilized that to our advantage in the first half. There were some penalties that Sacha could have kicked from distance, and our play wasn't the cleanest. Obviously, we were nervous, and they were nervous. This was the world's first team against the world's second team. We are not sitting here thinking we are amazing. We know we have a lot of work to do before Baltimore.'