It took the Springboks one week to turn things around and surprise the rugby world with a major upset and a hard earned victory on Saterday, 12 July 2008. The match took place in much better weather conditions than the previous match in Wellington, at the Carisbrook stadium (also known as the House of Pain) in Dunedin, New Zealand. South Africa had not won a match against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 1998 and in 100 years they could never beat the All Blacks in Dunedin.

The improved playing conditions definitely helped the Boks. Their scrum had almost magically come good and unlike the previous week they held up to the All Blacks. They outscored their opponents by two tries to one, including a superb match winning break and chip resulting in a try by Bok scrum half Ricky Januarie. Januarie played an immense game and he threatened the All Blacks around the rucks and maul during the entire match.

If it could be said that the difference between the two sides was Dan Carter in the Wellington game, then Ricky Januarie was the difference between the two sides in Dunedin. Januarie, the much improved Bok scrum and the weather came together on the day to drive home the fact that the Springboks are the reigning world champions.

South Africa: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Britz, 17 Brian Mujati, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Francois Steyn, 22 Conrad Jantjes.

Link : Boks end ten-year drought

The All Blacks beat the Springboks in a hard fought match on Saterday, 5 July 2008. The match took place in the typical cold and wet weather conditions of Wellington, New Zealand. South Africa had not won a match against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 1998.

This was the first game of the 2008 Tri-Nations competition. It was unique in that it would be the first time that an entirely unique combination of ELV laws i.e. the S14 ELVs plus allowing the collapse of mauls and no line-out numbers, were to be played in an international game. It would also be the first time that the player’s who were used to the S14 ELVs would play the new maul and line-out number laws.

The problems with the Bok scrum which was evident in the previous matches continued and Butch James had a very poor game with the boot. A Brilliant try from Brain Habana near the end of the first half was the sole highlight of the Bok effort. Another supreme display from Dan Carter as his boot dominated the territory and the scoreline.

The match was marred by an ugly off the ball and after the whistle incident when the Bok hooker and captain, John Smit, was spear-tackled by New Zealand lock Brad Thorn which forced John Smit to leave the pitch injured just before half time due to a groin muscle injury. As result of the injury Smit will not play again in the Tri-Nations competition. Although the offense should have been punished by a sending off referee Steward Dickinson didn’t show a card. The post match disciplinary committee handed Thorn a one match ban for unsportsmanlike conduct.

South Africa: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Butch James, 9 Enrico Januarie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Brian Mujati, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Bolla Conradie, 21 Francois Steyn, 22 Percy Montgomery.

Link : All Blacks prevail in Wellington