South Africa pile pressure on coach Ian Foster after All Blacks sink to fifth loss in six Tests

South Africa consigned the All Blacks to a fifth loss in six Tests, eclipsing their opponents with a suffocating performance that increased the pressure on Ian Foster, New Zealand’s beleaguered head coach.

Breakdown disruption, swarming defence, aerial dominance and set-piece power were the familiar pillars of the Springboks’ display in Nelspruit. Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was later sent off, and Willie Le Roux scored tries with Handrè Pollard kicking 16 points.

Malcolm Marx, on the occasion of his 50th cap, was phenomenal on the floor and tormented the All Blacks with numerous turnovers. New Zealand managed a late consolation try through Shannon Frizell, but continually struggled for a foothold.

“A lot of the credit has to go to the Springboks, especially in the first half,” said Sam Cane, New Zealand’s captain, afterwards. “They threw a heck of a lot at us. We did well to absorb it, but I suppose it took a lot out of us.”

Over their previous seven meetings, these sides had only once been split by more than three points. The contest promised eye-watering intensity to open the Rugby Championship and started in frantic fashion. With just 40 seconds on the clock, Faf de Klerk scurried out of the defensive line to stop Caleb Clarke. The blonde-haired South Africa scrum-half smashed into the carrier’s knee and was knocked unconscious.

A horrible accident compromised the hosts because Jaden Hendricks was called off a bench featuring just two backs. But South Africa did not seem perturbed. They muscled a tone-setting scrum penalty and then went ahead.

Pollard hoisted a high ball that Beauden Barrett could not gather. Lukhanyo Am gobbled up the ricochet and threw a delightful, falling offload to Arendse. The sparky 26-year-old,