BALTIMORE — The Springboks claimed the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry trophy with a commanding 43-28 victory over the All Blacks in the fourth and final Test at M&T Bank Stadium, sealing the series 3-1 before a record 68,173 crowd — the largest attendance ever at a rugby match in the United States.
Captain Siya Kolisi hoisted the trophy overhead after Morne van den Berg was named Player of the Match, his try and clinical bootwork proving decisive in a contest the world champions dominated for 70 minutes.
The Series at a Glance
| Test | Venue | Result |
| 1st | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | All Blacks 33 – 16 Springboks |
| 2nd | DHL Stadium, Cape Town | Springboks 33 – 26 All Blacks |
| 3rd | FNB Stadium, Soweto | Springboks 29 – 24 All Blacks |
| 4th | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore | Springboks 43 – 28 All Blacks |
Fourth Test: A Statement of Intent
The Boks, led by head coach Rassie Erasmus, reserved their most dominant performance for the decider. First-half tries from Damian de Allende and Morne van den Berg gave them a 17-14 lead at the break, before a rapid double blow from Malcolm Marx and Pieter-Steph du Toit at the start of the second half put daylight between the sides. A sparkling break from Kurt-Lee Arendse and a poacher’s try from Cameron Hanekom sealed the victory, with Beauden Barrett scoring only a consolation try in the 79th minute for New Zealand.
The Springboks outscored the All Blacks 6 tries to 4 in the final Test, with Manie Libbok and Sacha Mngomezulu adding conversions from the boot.
A Month of Rugby
The series marked a return to old-school tours, with the All Blacks travelling to South Africa for the first full-scale tour in 30 years. New Zealand won all four provincial matches en route, and the Test series itself was a month-long affair spanning Johannesburg, Cape Town, Soweto and Baltimore.
Over the four Tests, the Springboks outscored the All Blacks 121 points to 111, though New Zealand edged the try count 17 to 14 — a testament to the quality of rugby on display throughout the series.
What’s Next
The victory extends the Springboks’ dominance to eight wins in their last ten Tests against the All Blacks and widens their lead at the top of the World Rugby Rankings to 3.95 points over the Kiwis. With the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year on the horizon, Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus’s side will look to build on this momentum, while the All Blacks under coach Dave Rennie will return to New Zealand in four years to contest the trophy.
