Four wins on the spin for Springboks against All Blacks

Siya Kolisi and Malcolm Marx scored tries as South Africa recorded a fourth win in a row against old foes New Zealand for the first time in 75 years with an 18-12 Rugby Championship victory in Cape Town.

It was a high-octane encounter full of energy and endeavour in front of a fervent crowd of 55,000, but both sides committed numerous errors that stunted their momentum and it will not go down as a classic.

Captain Kolisi, playing with a fractured nose, crossed early in the second half and Marx late on as the world champions edged the arm-wrestle and took a giant step towards the Rugby Championship title.

Fly-half Damian McKenzie kicked all of the All Blacks' points but missed two penalties from virtually in front of the posts that proved decisive for the visitors, who have now lost three of their last four Tests in a difficult start for new coach Scott Robertson.

South Africa have 18 points at the head of the Rugby Championship table, followed by New Zealand with seven, who now cannot catch them with two games against Australia remaining.

Argentina (five points) and Australia (four) will seek to keep their slim hopes alive when they play later on Saturday.

The Springboks regained the Freedom Cup, a trophy played for by South Africa and New Zealand, for the first time since 2009.

"Credit to the All Blacks, we knew they would bring it hard and there is no doubt they are going to turn it (their form) around," Kolisi said.

"In the past we would win a big game and then lose the next one. For us, it is now about backing up our results and we did that today."

New Zealand were dominant at the breakdown, which kept them in the game as they won a succession of penalties.

But once again they battled to contain the home side in the final 20