Six best Springbok wins against All Blacks

The six best Springbok victories over the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship.

6. Springboks 27 All Blacks 25 (Johannesburg, 2014)
The Boks’ last win against the All Blacks came in dramatic circumstances when, with a minute remaining, Liam Messam was penalised for striking Schalk Burger with a stiff arm. Referee Wayne Barnes had missed the incident, but the reaction of the 61,261 crowd, who saw the replay on the big screen, alerted him to it. Bok replacement flyhalf Pat Lambie, who had missed a drop-goal attempt three minutes earlier, made no mistake with the 55m penalty and the ball sailed well over the crossbar.

5. All Blacks 3 Springboks 13 (Wellington, 1998)
The Boks claimed their first win in New Zealand since 1981, thanks to a memorable try from Pieter Rossouw with nine minutes remaining. From a 5m scrum, the Bok wing ghosted in from the blindside to take flyhalf Henry Honiball’s pass and score between the posts. The result could have been different though, had All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer not missed five penalty goal attempts.

4. All Blacks 28 Springboks 30 (Dunedin, 2008)
The Boks entered this Test without a win in Dunedin for 87 years, and on the back of a 19-8 loss in Wellington just a week prior. They trailed 28-23, with captain Victor Matfield in the sin bin and six minutes remaining on the clock. But Bok scrumhalf Ricky Januarie then sniped around the edge of a ruck near the All Blacks 10m line, chipped over Leon Macdonald, regathered the ball and went over for a magnificent solo effort. Frans Steyn added the extras as the Boks finally found pleasure at the ‘House of Pain’.

3. All Blacks 29 Springboks 32 (Hamilton, 2009)
Requiring just a point to claim their third Tri-Nations title, and first since 2004, the Boks left nothing to chance as they raced into a 22-12 half-time lead. The margin was extended 10 minutes into the second half, following a trademark intercept try from Jean de Villiers, before the All Blacks produced a stirring fightback. The Boks would prevail though, to lift the trophy on enemy soil. The victory remains the last Bok triumph in the All Blacks’ backyard.

2. Springboks 40 All Blacks 26 (Johannesburg, 2004)
The Boks came into this one on the back of their longest losing streak ever to the All Blacks, eight matches in a row. Confidence was building under Jake White, and after a narrow defeat in Christchurch, the Boks hit their straps to run in five tries in the come-from-behind win. Marius Joubert was the star, grabbing a hat-trick and laying on another for his Stormers teammate Jean de Villiers. A week later in Durban, the Boks would defeat the Aussies to secure the coveted Tri-Nations title.

1. Springboks 24 All Blacks 23 (Durban, 1998)
In one of the greatest comebacks in Test history, the Boks overturned a 23-5 deficit with 15 minutes to go, as they set course for their first ever Tri-Nations triumph. Tries from Joost van der Westhuizen and replacement Bobby Skinstad got the Boks right back into the contest, before James Dalton rumbled over on the back of a driving maul during injury time to send the Kings Park faithful into a state of delirium.