The All Blacks stunned the rugby world to claim a magnificent 33-16 victory over world champions South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Dave Rennie's side have drawn first blood in a four-match Test series dubbed 'The Greatest Rivalry.' The All Blacks stood up to South Africa's brute force, outscoring their hosts five tries to one. As one would expect, there has been a vocal reaction to New Zealand's victory. Here is what the world's media had to say.
Media reaction to a famous victory
Liam Napier of the New Zealand Herald wrote: "Tenacious, defiant – these terms don't nearly do it justice. Amid a sea of green, against the vaunted world champions at their spiritual home, the All Blacks burst the Springboks' bubble with one of their greatest, most courageous victories." He noted the All Blacks recorded their first win in South Africa for four years and produced their largest victory ever at Ellis Park, coming back from the dead to surpass South Africa and claim the No 1 world ranking.
Napier added: "Five-tries-to-one is as convincing as it gets. The All Blacks restricted the Boks to three second-half points. Those numbers don't, however, come close to revealing the true story of this epic match. Two months into Rennie's tenure and he has transformed the All Blacks. That is undeniable. Teams don't produce wins such as this without true, united, spirit."
Analysis from the world's press
Stuart Barnes of the Sunday Times said Dave Rennie has "imbued his team with optimism," with trust in their historic skill sets. He noted five tries to one suggested "the most awful afternoon imaginable" for the hosts, but they have the ability, experience and management to turn the series around. Barnes highlighted a lack of balance in South Africa's use of the scrum and noted they were rusty, having not fielded the core of their team since the game against England. In contrast, 14 of the Kiwi starters were in the XV that faced Ireland. He concluded: "They won't panic again. Expect lightning to go with South African thunder next week. There's a rugby storm heading New Zealand's way."
Charles Richardson of the Telegraph described the victory as "almost as comfortable as it was surprising." He noted a 13-player Springboks outfit – both Marco van Staden and Cobus Reinach were sin-binned within a minute of each other – were left chasing shadows in an Ellis Park "stupefied into silence." Will Jordan crossed for his second try during that 13-player period. Richardson praised captain and No 8 Ardie Savea, flankers Luke Jacobson and Tupou Vaa'i, the locks until Josh Lord's departure just before halftime, and scrum-half Cam Roigard. The New Zealand midfield also got the upper hand on the day of Damian de Allende's 100th cap for South Africa.
Statement win and a backlash to come
Gerard Meagher of the Guardian called it "a delicious appetiser to a series that looks set to live up to its billing." He noted New Zealand withstood a barrage of South Africa scrum pressure and clinched a first win at Ellis Park since 2022. By the end, South Africa had two men in the sinbin, and given their status as the world's leading side, "this must go down as a disintegration." Meagher added there will be a backlash, but credited New Zealand for producing a masterclass at weathering the storm. He noted it is 30 years since Sean Fitzpatrick led the All Blacks to a first series victory in South Africa, but the class of 2026 are off to a flying start.
Craig Ray of the Daily Maverick described the win as one of "guts and character," with the All Blacks holding firm through a combination of Bok errors and their own resolve. He said it might easily have been the worst performance in the Rassie Erasmus era, ending a 12-match winning streak. The All Blacks "won" the second half 21-3, and the Springboks turned the ball over 23 times – mostly through knock-ons.
Daniel Gallan of Rugby Pass argued South Africa lost not because they were too ambitious but because for long stretches they barely tried to fire a shot. He noted the Springboks finished with 51% possession, 61% territory and almost 100 more post-contact metres than New Zealand, but New Zealand passed 124 times to South Africa's 106. He concluded: "Next week requires more than better execution. It may require a philosophical correction."
