Tuesday 18 September 2018 16:27, UK
Rhodri Jeremiah takes a closer look at the numbers from the Springboks' incredible victory over the All Blacks in Wellington.
New Zealand are ranked the best in the world and they do not lose very often. However, last Saturday South Africa did the unthinkable and stunned the rugby public by recording a 36-34 win.
There has been much discussion in recent times regarding how a side can beat the All Blacks. The consensus seemed to be that you need to concede fewer penalties, have the majority of both possession and territory, and score more tries. In Wellington, the Springboks tore up that script.
Score more tries?
New Zealand scored six tries last Saturday to the Springboks' five. It is only the fifth time in history that a team has scored at least six tries in an international and lost, and it is the first time it has happened in a game involving Tier 1 nations.
Concede fewer penalties?
South Africa conceded 10 penalties on Saturday. New Zealand, in comparison, were on the wrong end of Nigel Owens' whistle only three times.
The visitors were even down to 14 men in the second half when Willie le Roux was sent to the sin-bin for a cynical act when the All Blacks were hot on the attack.
Dominate territory and possession?
New Zealand were staggeringly ahead in terms of time with the ball and the areas of the pitch where the game was played; the All Blacks had an incredible 75 per cent possession and 73 per cent territory, making the Springboks' victory that much more remarkable.
In attack, Kieran Read topped the carrying charts with 26. In contrast, not a single Springbok made over 10 carries - Le Roux made the most for the visitors with seven.
Collectively, New Zealand made 215 carries, 624 metres and beat 39 defenders. South Africa, in comparison, made 59 carries, 258 metres and beat 12 defenders.
So how did they do it?
Prior to Saturday, the last time these two sides faced each other in New Zealand, the All Blacks recorded their biggest-ever win over South Africa with a 57-0 drubbing in North Harbour.
New Zealand had only lost once in their previous 57 games at home dating back to 2009. The Lions claiming the lone scalp last year - also in Wellington.
All the stats prior to Saturday would have predicted an All Blacks win. So how did the Springboks do it?
First and foremost, it was their colossal defence. To a man, the Springboks left everything on the pitch, they tackled their hearts out.
In defence, New Zealand made 61 tackles and missed 12 in the process. South Africa made nearly four times this amount, making 235 tackles and missing 39.
Franco Mostert and Pieter-Steph du Toit made the joint-most tackles with 24 apiece. None of the All Blacks hit double figures for tackling - Sam Whitelock had the most with eight.
In the head-to-head contests, the visitors were just as good as their opposite number, and in some cases bettered them. The normally-influential Aaron Smith left the field after 49 minutes, which points to opposite number Faf de Klerk winning that contest.
The little time that South Africa did have ball in hand, they were intelligent with it and played with confidence. Aphiwe Dyantyi put in yet another performance that would indicate the Bok wing berth will be his for some time. His brace on the day added to his already impressive try tally for the Springboks: he has now scored five tries in seven starts for his country.
In order to win any rugby match, a solid set-piece is key. South Africa had 100 per cent success at scrum-time, winning all nine on their own put-in. Their lineout was close to perfect - winning seven of their eight throw-ins.
Yes, Beauden Barrett did have an off-day with the boot. He missed four attempts at goal. Maybe that was a factor in the All Blacks not going for a drop goal in the closing stages - we will never know. But that is rugby; not even a back-to-back World Player of the Year will have the perfect game every time he runs out onto the park.
A week is a long time in sport. Last Tuesday, Rassie Erasmus said his position as head coach was under considerable heat. How times have changed - South Africa are now back in the Rugby Championship reckoning, they have moved up two places in the world rankings to fifth, but more importantly, they have rattled the status quo.
A win against New Zealand is rare, a win against New Zealand in their own backyard is a collector's item.
After Cheslin Kolbe crossed the whitewash early in the second half on Saturday, 'Message in a Bottle' was played out on the tannoy. Let's not get carried away, Steve Hansen will not be sending out an SOS to the world, but the result in Wellington has definitely shaken things up.
