\n<\/p>\n
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry – Fourth Test<\/b><\/p>\n
South Africa (17) 43<\/b><\/p>\n
Tries:<\/b> de Allende (2), van den Berg, PS du Toit, Arendse, Hanekom Cons:<\/b> Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), van den Berg, Libbok (2) Pens:<\/b> Feinberg-Mngomezulu <\/p>\n
New Zealand (14) 28<\/b><\/p>\n
Tries: <\/b>Taylor, Jordan, Blackadder, B Barrett Cons: <\/b>McKenzie (4) <\/p>\n
South Africa completed a 3-1 series win over New Zealand as the world champions’ consistency, power and cohesion once again proved too much in the fourth Test in Baltimore.<\/b><\/p>\n
After victory in the series opener in Johannesburg last month, the All Blacks jumped to the top of the world rankings and threatened to shake up rugby’s world order.<\/p>\n
However, South Africa clawed their way back to triumph – just as their director of rugby Rassie Erasmus had predicted.<\/p>\n
While New Zealand were spirited and skilful in pursuit of a win to square the series, the Springboks’ go-forward up front and the depth of their bench kept the All Blacks at bay.<\/p>\n
The match played out in front of a near-capacity crowd of 68,173 at the M&T Bank Stadium, the largest-ever crowd to watch a rugby match in the USA.<\/p>\n
A successful stateside excursion completes a series that has been compelling viewing and stress-tested both sides’ aspirations of lifting the Rugby World Cup next year – the two nations have won the past five editions of the tournament.<\/p>\n
It was New Zealand who started fastest in Maryland on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Eight minutes in, their breathtakingly quick tiki-taka catch-pass, with the backline holding their depth, outflanked South Africa’s blitz defence to set up the first try of the match for hooker Codie Taylor.<\/p>\n
However, the Springboks’ brute strength in the close quarters meant they could collect points without needing to resort to such high-risk passages of play.<\/p>\n
With their forward pack on top in the scrum and winning collisions, Damian de Allende burrowed over from short range, before scrum-half Morne van den Berg flashed a dummy and darted past Sam Darry for a similar score.<\/p>\n
Those tries opened up a 17-7 lead for the Springboks. With Eben Etzebeth crunching returning New Zealand fly-half Richie Mo’unga in the tackle and Jasper Wiese stampeding around in the loose, the Boks seemed poised to stretch away and out of sight.<\/p>\n
Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had pushed a long-range penalty to the right of the uprights early on, missed a drop-goal shot. An overcooked attempt to find the corner also cost his team.<\/p>\n
New Zealand’s combination of hard toil and sparkling hands then bought them a way back into the game just before half-time.<\/p>\n
Will Jordan, his nation’s all-time leading try-scorer, streaked off his wing on a superb line to dunk down over the line at the end of 32 draining phases.<\/p>\n
Four points down at the break, Dave Rennie’s side had hopes of taking home half of a specially-designed series trophy, which, held together by magnets, can be shared between the two sides.<\/p>\n
But South Africa ensured that innovation went unused.<\/p>\n
Malcolm Marx trundled over at the back of a rolling maul after the interval and, three minutes later, Pieter-Steph du Toit barged over after a sharp blindside break by the impressive Van den Berg.<\/p>\n
Ethan Blackadder’s score in the final quarter cut the Boks’ lead to eight points, but South Africa hit the accelerator once again as the toll taken by a high-paced match and a long tour caught up on both teams and space opened up.<\/p>\n
Kurt-Lee Arendse sliced through open field after Damian McKenzie had broken through in the opposite direction, but Josh Moorby failed to gather his pass. <\/p>\n
Four minutes later, Cameron Hanekom scooped up scrappy ball to put the result beyond doubt and render replacement Beauden Barrett’s late try only a footnote.<\/p>\n
South Africa: <\/b>Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, de Allende, Hooker; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, van den Berg; Nche, Marx, Louw, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi, du Toit, Wiese<\/p>\n
Replacements: Fourie, Steenekamp, du Toit, de Jager, Esterhuizen, Hanekom, Reinach, Libbok<\/p>\n
New Zealand:<\/b> McKenzie; Jordan, Lienert-Brown, Barrett, Moorby; Mo’unga, Roigard; de Groot, Taylor, Newell, Tuipulotu, Darry, Vaa’i, Blackadder, Lakai<\/p>\n
Aumua, Numia, Lomax, Lord, Sititi, Preston, Ioane, Barrett<\/p>\n
Referee: <\/b>Karl Dickson (England)<\/p>\n
Assistant referees: <\/b>Matthew Carley (England), Christophe Ridley (England)<\/p>\n
TMO:<\/b> Andrew Jackson (England)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n