South Africa made all the play and were trailing 10-7 after a tense first-half, but they found their mojo to score five tries without reply in the second period to secure a record 33-point winning margin at Sky Stadium, which was better than the 35-7 win over New Zealand in London before the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

The Springboks dominated the territory and possession initially, but they made too many handling errors to convert that pressure into points. The scrums were solid and defence resolute, and they played with great physical intent to keep the All Blacks under pressure.

The Bok lineout also operated with much more composure, while the battle of the breakdown was a much more positive affair for the South Africans compared to their struggles of last week in Auckland.

However, it was the All Blacks who led at halftime through a converted try by debutant wing Leroy Carter and a Damian McKenzie penalty goal, while Cheslin Kolbe replied with a converted try during a half in which four replacements came on for the Boks.

There were several agonising near misses for the Boks in a promising first half, with some misfortune leading to two disallowed tries. Replacement lock RG Snyman, who came on early for Lood de Jager, went over but his effort was cancelled out because of a Cobus Reinach knock-on, and a bit later, Kolbe lost the ball in contact when he was over the line, only to be foiled by a desperate All Black tackle.

Cheslin Kolbe races away for his first try.

Kolbe's intercept try, with the All Blacks hot on the attack, came against the run of play. By then, Manie Libbok had replaced Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at flyhalf, and not long after the try, Reinach went off for an HIA, with Grant Williams coming on.

Three minutes before the break, Aphelele Fassi also limped off, with Andre Esterhuizen coming on at centre and Damian Willemse moving to fullback. 

Kolbe then gave the Boks the perfect second half start when he scored his second try of the game following a brilliant Bok scrum that had New Zealand in reverse, and a barnstorming run from skipper Siya Kolisi splitting the home defence before the ball was worked wide to the hot-stepping speedster.

Libbok sent the ball through the uprights to pull the Boks 14-10 ahead and the replacement pivot then succeeded with a long-range penalty goal to edge the Boks seven points ahead following an illegal tackle on Kolbe.

By then, Reinach was back on the field following his HIA, but Kolbe was forced to leave the fray, with Williams coming on at left wing for his second spell of the game.

From then on it was all South Africa though.

Celebration time in Wellington.

The Boks were always dangerous on attack, with Willemse – who made his first Test start at inside centre before moving to fullback – especially prominent, initiating several attacks to keep the Boks on the front foot.

It was well-deserved when a strong running Willemse forced his way over from a Bok lineout steal by Ruan Nortje on the NZ 5m line to score his first try against the All Backs to make it 24-10.

The Boks increased their lead to 29-10 when replacement loose forward Kwagga Smith took an inside pass from Pieter-Steph du Toit after a pin-point cross kick by Libbok to finish a brilliant attack, which started with a superb run by Ethan Hooker, who started his first Test for South Africa.

Libbok missed his first - and only - kick at goal during the game, but the Boks were in complete control at this stage, with 10 minutes to go.

Four minutes later, the huge frame of Snyman found himself in space to run in South Africa’s fifth try, while Esterhuizen then put the cherry on top when he rounded off the Boks’ fifth try in the second stanza - and sixth overall - to power his way over the whitewash for an emphatic Bok win in Wellington.

Scorers:

New Zealand 10 (10) – Try: Leroy Carter. Conversion: Damian McKenzie. Penalty goal: McKenzie.

Springboks 43 (7) – Tries: Cheslin Kolbe (2), Damian Willemse, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Andre Esterhuizen. Conversions: Manie Libbok (5). Penalty goal: Libbok.