Sometimes it’s not about playing the prettiest rugby, it’s about showing the bigger brain. On a wet night at a bouncing Eden Park for undoubtedly their biggest test match of 2025, the All Blacks didn’t just beat the Springboks – they out-thought them.
Sky Sport rugby commentator Tony Johnson was in attendance for the 24-17 win, which almost entirely washes away the disappointment, frustration and concerns attached to the Pumas defeat in Argentina two weeks ago.
“The most important thing is the numbers up on the scoreboard,” Johnson told Martin Devlin on the DSPN.
“The fact that the Springboks had won the last four games. The fact that after that loss in Argentina, a lot of question marks had come to the surface again about where this All Blacks team is under this coaching staff.”
It wasn’t a typical All Black performance showcasing flair and flash. It was about grit, strategy, and pure desperation – taking more leaves out of the South African playbook if anything.
The clever and courageous use of box kicking, counter rucking, disrupting lineouts - among others - all helped make the Springboks uncomfortable for the majority of the contest.
“There's evidence that they've [the All Blacks coaches] sat down and not only thought about the way they're playing their own game, but also what they can do to combat some of the strengths of the Springboks. And it was evident right from the word go,” Johnson said.
“They were putting bodies hard into the breakdown… and so instead of getting the ball on a little silver platter ready for the kick, Grant Williams was getting one of his own teammates being shunted back in his face, which took away just a little bit of time and space.”
One of those key moments came from the very first set-piece. The All Blacks won a lineout deep in Springbok territory. A deceptive set play saw Emoni Narawa snap up a cross-field kick from Beauden Barrett and score within two minutes of the game kicking off. Their second try – another set play off a lineout that fooled South Africa – put Will Jordan in under the posts.
Both plays would've fooled anyone into thinking the All Blacks were going to maul their way towards the try-line, only to do the exact opposite.
A number of players received the tick of approval from TJ as well, including halfback Finlay Christie, who had one of his better (if not his best) tests in the black jumper.
“He had a really strong game… you got to be reminded that their three first choice halfbacks are all injured at the moment… but I think people will feel a lot more comfortable having seen Finlay Christie with that performance.
”They [the All Blacks] are still having some issues fielding the high kicks, but the strength of Finlay Christie has always been his ability to get to the breakdown quickly. You see him dance, skipping over bodies, just to get there so they can clear the ball away from that messy zone.”
Simon Parker’s injection into test rugby has been a win for all involved. The All Blacks have another big body that can play in the loose forwards, thanks to Parker's mixture of height and width, work rate, and running ability.
“Parker had a really strong game. Boy he hits hard… it looks like the [loose forward] balance was right. Parker finding his feet in test rugby, he's a foil for those big South African forwards," Johnson added..
The result was enormous for the All Blacks and feels like a marker for Scott Robertson and Co. as they build strength and depth with the 2027 Rugby World Cup front of mind. But TJ is quick to remind everyone how dangerous South Africa can be, especially after a loss.
“Well, the wounded Springbok - I don't think anyone's going to take them lightly or think we've got these guys. Because history will tell you otherwise.”
Catch new episodes of the Devlin Sports Podcast Network (DSPN) every weekday on rova.
