The Springboks have lost their No 1 spot in the World Rugby rankings after suffering a 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
New Zealand produced a stunning second-half performance to overturn a 13-12 half-time deficit, scoring four unanswered tries after the break to claim a comprehensive victory in Johannesburg.
The result not only gives the All Blacks the early advantage in the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, but also sees them move above South Africa at the summit of the world rankings.
All Blacks punish Springboks
The All Blacks scored five tries during a dominant display, with Will Jordan crossing twice while Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland and Luke Jacobson also found the try line.
Ruben Love converted four of New Zealand’s tries.
The Springboks managed just one five-pointer through Andre Esterhuizen, while Cheslin Kolbe added a conversion and two penalties.
Despite going into the interval with a narrow lead, South Africa were unable to contain an increasingly confident All Blacks side after half-time.
The 17-point victory was New Zealand’s biggest-ever win over the Springboks at Ellis Park, adding another significant chapter to one of international rugby’s fiercest rivalries.
It was also the All Blacks’ seventh victory in 16 matches against South Africa at the Johannesburg venue.
World No 1 ranking changes hands
The defeat carries added significance for the Springboks because it means they have surrendered their position at the top of the world rankings.
South Africa entered the Test as the world’s No 1-ranked team, but the comprehensive defeat allowed New Zealand to move into first place.
The All Blacks picked up 1.75 points for their win, while the Springboks lost the same number of points.
For Rassie Erasmus’ side, the ranking setback adds further importance to the remainder of the series.
The Springboks will have an immediate opportunity to respond when the teams meet again in Cape Town next weekend.
Updated World Rugby rankings
| Rank | Country | Points |
| 1 | New Zealand | 94.03 |
| 2 | South Africa | 92.21 |
| 3 | Ireland | 88.08 |
| 4 | France | 87.43 |
| 5 | England | 85.68 |
| 6 | Scotland | 84.78 |
| 7 | Argentina | 83.13 |
| 8 | Australia | 82.67 |
| 9 | Fiji | 78.00 |
| 10 | Wales | 76.38 |
Cape Town showdown awaits
The second Test of the four-match series will be played at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, 29 August.
Kick-off is scheduled for 17:10.
South Africa will be determined to produce a vastly improved performance on home soil and reclaim the momentum lost at Ellis Park.
Teams
South Africa
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Andre Esterhuizen, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok
New Zealand
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Luke Jacobson, 6, Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4, Josh Lord, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Substitutes: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Simon Parker, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Leroy Carter
Referee: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Where did it go wrong for the Springboks?
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