A strong second-half display in Soweto delivered a 29-24 win that put the Springboks 2-1 up in the four-Test 'Greatest Rivalry' series and forced New Zealand to seek a decisive result in Baltimore.

Siya Kolisi recorded his 55th victory as Springboks captain on 5 September 2026, moving him clear at the top of South African captains' records. A penalty try on the stroke of half-time, followed by Malcolm Marx's late maul try, swung a match that was 12-12 at the break and helped the hosts to a 29-24 win in front of 87,976 at FNB Stadium in Soweto. That result leaves South Africa 2-1 up in the four-Test series and hands New Zealand a must-win fourth Test in Baltimore on 12 September 2026; the Springboks can seal the overall victory with a win or a draw.

What Happened

South Africa seized control of the four-Test series with a 29-24 victory over New Zealand in Soweto, turning a 12-12 half-time stalemate into a 2-1 lead.

A penalty try awarded on the stroke of half-time and a late maul try from Malcolm Marx swung momentum to the hosts and proved decisive in a tight contest.

The teams traded four tries apiece in front of a capacity crowd of 87,976, the game finishing 29-24 after a ferocious second half.

The win gave Siya Kolisi his 55th victory as Springboks captain, moving him clear at the top of South African captains' records.

The victory in Soweto followed the Springboks' Cape Town win that had levelled the series.

The four-Test series concludes in Baltimore on 12 September 2026, meaning New Zealand must win the fourth Test to avoid a series defeat while South Africa can clinch the overall result with a win or a draw.

The Key Moment

A penalty try on the stroke of half-time and Malcolm Marx's late maul try swung the match decisively towards South Africa. The penalty try, awarded as the first half ended, broke a 12-12 deadlock and handed the hosts a psychological edge they carried into the second period penalty try.

The two sides had traded two tries apiece before the break, but the late forward scores shifted the contest from a running game to a battle of set piece and physical control. Marx completed a driving maul in the final quarter, and a subsequent penalty from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu extended South Africa's cushion, effectively denying New Zealand the momentum they needed to recover.

Those moments, one awarded by the officials and one earned through raw forward power, proved the difference in a 29-24 finish.

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By The Numbers

Small margins decided the third Test.

  • Final score: South Africa 29, New Zealand 24, leaving the Springboks 2-1 up in the four-Test series; the game was level 12-12 at half-time.

  • Tries: four apiece. South Africa crossed through Kurt-Lee Arendse, a penalty try, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx, while New Zealand scored through Ardie Savea twice, Will Jordan and Samisoni Taukei'aho.

  • Match-defining scores: a penalty try awarded on the stroke of half-time and Marx's late maul try shifted momentum in Soweto and proved decisive in a tight finish.

  • Captaincy record: Siya Kolisi recorded his 55th win as Springboks captain, moving clear as South Africa's most successful Test captain by victories.

  • Crowd and context: the game was played before a capacity crowd of 87,976 in Soweto.

  • What the scoreboard means for the series: the fourth Test is in Baltimore on 12 September 2026, and that fixture appears on the South Africa Rugby fixtures page. South Africa can clinch the series with a win or a draw; New Zealand must win to avoid series defeat.

What's Next

South Africa can seal the four-Test series in Baltimore on 12 September 2026; New Zealand must win there to avoid a series defeat. The Springboks go into the finale with a 2-1 lead and the straightforward requirement that a win or a draw will deliver the overall result to them, while the All Blacks have no margin for error.

The fourth and final Test will be played in Baltimore, USA, on 12 September 2026. Broadcasters have already scheduled coverage, and the match will decide a series that has been tightly contested across three venues and three weeks of rugby.

Tactical and selection questions will dominate the build-up. South Africa will aim to reproduce the forward power and late-quarter control that decided the Soweto Test. New Zealand must find a way to unsettle the Springboks’ set piece and stop late momentum swings if they are to force a winner-takes-all outcome in the United States.

Originally reported by Sky Sports.

Tom Bradley covers the technology industry and British sport for Brit Herald. On the tech beat, he reports on UK fintech, AI regulation, data privacy legislation, and the startups reshaping London's tech corridor. On the sports side, he covers the Premier League, Six Nations rugby, and English cricket - with a focus on the business of sport and the stories behind the results.

Tom grew up in Manchester, where he started writing about local football for a fan blog while studying at university. He graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Computer Science - a combination that made him the go-to person in every newsroom when the CMS crashed on deadline. After graduation, he spent three years at a Manchester-based digital outlet covering the Northern Powerhouse tech scene.

He joined Brit Herald because he wanted to write about both technology and sport without being forced to choose. His tech coverage has ranged from Open Banking regulation to semiconductor supply chains, and his sports writing leans analytical - why clubs make the transfers they make, what the underlying numbers reveal, and where the money actually goes.

Tom is convinced that the best journalism happens where beats overlap. He still argues that local newspapers are worth saving, despite reading most of his news on his phone.

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This article was created with AI assistance.