The All Blacks opened their first full-scale tour of South Africa in 30 years with a flattering 38-21 victory over the Stormers at Cape Town's DHL Stadium on Friday, a win that owed more to a late surge than to sustained quality.
New Zealand led 14-7 at half-time through tries from Samisoni Taukei'aho and Simon Parker, but the scoreboard flattered a scratch side that had been favoured by at least 30 points. The Stormers, missing nine Springboks and in pre-season mode, twice hauled themselves level, and the scores were locked at 14-14 with 13 minutes remaining after wing Seabelo Senatla crossed under the posts.
The tourists' discipline unravelled in the middle of the game: Anton Lienert-Brown and Parker were both sin-binned, leaving the All Blacks to defend for a spell with 13 men, and the side finished with three yellow cards overall as they struggled against the hosts' kicking game and rolling maul.
When the Stormers lost their second scrumhalf and ran out of reserve backs, the patched-up backline was ruthlessly exposed. New Zealand ran in three tries in the final eight minutes — Rieko Ioane, Leroy Carter and Josh Moorby all crossing, with replacement hooker Asafa Aumua adding a fourth on the final whistle — to finish with six tries to three in front of 47,130 fans.
No.8 Peter Lakai was among the tourists' best, his slick break creating Carter's score. Captain Patrick Tuipulotu conceded his side had made too many mistakes under relentless physical pressure, but took the late resilience as a positive. The main fitness concern was a shoulder injury to midfielder Billy Proctor, while prop Siale Lauaki and first-five Josh Jacomb made their international debuts off the bench.
Attention now turns to Durban, where the All Blacks face the Sharks at Kings Park on Tuesday. The hosts have named 44-year-old All Blacks great Ma'a Nonu on the bench, the two-time World Cup winner now part of a mentorship programme at the club. "We know we can be a lot better and we've only got to wait four days to get another crack at it," Rennie said.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/stormers-newzealand-all-blacks-efefb3c8b7df1165f771008d152ceb35
- https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/932567/all-blacks-run-in-four-late-tries-to-beat-stormers-21-38-in-south-africa
- https://www.allblacks.com/news/all-blacks/nonu-named-on-hollywoodbets-sharks-bench-to-face-all-blacks
