The All Blacks face big selection calls after Ellis Park Test comeback

For 55 minutes at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Sunday (NZT), the Springboks were winning the battle that mattered most.

The Boks' front row of Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nché had All Blacks trio Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax and Ethan de Groot under huge pressure.

South Africa’s forwards were dominating the collisions and their scrum was giving the back-to-back world champions the platform they needed to keep New Zealand on the back foot.

Then All Blacks coach Dave Rennie went to his bench. Asafo Aumua, George Bower, and Fletcher Newell came on and the momentum began to shift.

The All Blacks suddenly had a scrum that could hold its own then pressure South Africa and the visitors finished the first Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry with a stunning 21-point burst to win 33-16 in front of more than 60,000 fans.

It was a comeback built on defence, belief and a Pacific-powered change in the front row. Instead of fading at an altitude of 1753 metres, the All Blacks found another gear and turned Ellis Park on its head.

The All Blacks front row comes under huge pressure from the Springboks scrum during the first 55 minutes at Ellis Park. Photo/sarugby

Rennie did not hide from how difficult the first part of the Test had been. “We were under the pump for a big chunk of that game, especially up front,” he told Sky Sport.

But when the All Blacks needed a response, the scrum finally gave them one, he said. “The set-piece was massive in the end. The scrum came good and was a big part of our success tonight.”

Rennie then praised the three replacement front-rowers who helped change the battle. “I thought those boys were excellent. That's what you want off the bench. Guys that offer a better impact and energy.”

All Blacks prop George Bower, back right, helped turn the scrum around off the bench as New Zealand fought back to beat the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo/Photosport/Ron Gaunt

Bower said it was a night that went from frustration to celebration.

“I'll tell you what, 65-70 minutes my smile was not even in the back thoughts of my brain but man once that whistle blew and kind of registered that we won the test match here at Ellis Park, I just got down and first of all thank the Lord,” Bower told Sky Sport.

Ellis Park is one of the toughest places for any visiting side and Bower said the All Blacks' ability to stay together was just as important as what happened on the field.

“It's not an easy place to win," he said. "Ellis Park is this fortress of South Africa and you're playing in altitude and you have everything to give to but what I liked about tonight is the boys stayed tight as a 23.”

That belief had been building for months, Bower said. “Trust doesn't just happen overnight.

All Blacks fans celebrate at Ellis Park, the Springboks' fortress, as New Zealand completed a stunning comeback against the world champions. Photo/BackpagePix/Samuel Shivambu/Photosport

"It takes time and it takes the little connections outside of the rugby field and outside in the buses and in the team rooms and things like that.

"And come time when we have to get tired and trust each other, we know 100 per cent that our brothers got our back.”

That Pacific contribution was not limited to the front row. All Blacks captain Ardie Savea was again at the centre of the fight, leading the defensive effort as South Africa threw wave after wave of pressure at New Zealand.

Lock Tupou Vaa’i also produced one of the key moments of the All Blacks comeback with his pass creating the opening for wing Josh Moorby to score the try that finally gave the All Blacks some momentum.

A proud Savea, who missed the team's earlier matches, described the Test as exactly what the rivalry promised.

All Blacks lock Tupou Vaa’i helped set up wing Josh Moorby's try that sparked New Zealand's fightback against the Springboks. Photo/Photosport/Ron Gaunt

“It was a boxing match out there," he told Sky Sport. "We always knew the Springboks were coming and their carriers, their midfield men, their quality players but I'm so proud of my boys' efforts tonight.

"It just came down to crucial moments and I thought we hung in there when it was tight and we got there in the end."

The All Blacks also had to withstand South Africa’s physical threats with second five-eighth Jordie Barrett producing a crucial try-saving tackle to deny Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx as the hosts looked ready to score.

South African rugby great Jean de Villiers said the All Blacks deserved huge credit for surviving the early assault.

“I think we all knew that both these teams are capable of coming back after being behind," he told Sky Sport.

South African rugby great Jean de Villiers reflects on the Springboks' defeat after New Zealand's comeback win at Ellis Park. Photo/World Rugby/Jordan Mansfield/Photosport

De Villiers said South Africa had opportunities but could not turn enough of them into points while New Zealand took its chances when they came.

“So credit to Dave Rennie and his team for being able to take the punches. But when the opportunities were there, they took it with both hands.”

The five tries to one scoreline (halftime: 13-12 to the hosts) tells part of the story but it does not reflect how much control South Africa had for much of the Test.

Man of the match Will Jordan scored two tries while Moorby, lock Fabian Holland and flanker Luke Jacobson cross the tryline for the All Blacks while winger André Esterhuizen scored the Boks' only try.

The Springboks' scrum was one of their biggest weapons against an All Blacks front row that struggled to cope with the pressure.

All Blacks fullback Will Jordan scored two tries and was named player of the match in New Zealand’s 33-16 comeback win over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo/Photosport/Ron Gaunt

Remarkably, the All Blacks’ fightback after 55 minutes came through the very area where they had been struggling most.

With the Springboks just five metres from their line, New Zealand finally turned the scrum pressure around, winning the battle at the set-piece and beginning the momentum shift that would change the Test.

It also raises a question for Boks head coach Rassie Erasmus: did South Africa lose some of that scrum edge when starting loosehead prop Ox Nché was replaced after 45 minutes?

Nché had been key to the Boks’ early dominance but the All Blacks began to turn the scrum battle after his departure.

De Villiers also pointed to South Africa’s attacking problems, saying the hosts made too many handling errors and could not build the pressure needed to break the All Blacks down.

Rennie will now have some big calls to make as the All Blacks face the Lions in Johannesburg on Wednesday morning NZ time before heading to Cape Town for the second Test against South Africa next weekend.

The injury toll could force changes especially in the front row.

De Groot and lock Josh Lord both left the field after head clashes and are now working through concussion protocols.

The All Blacks have called in Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Jamie Hannah as injury replacements, adding to Rennie’s selection headaches.

Bower, meanwhile, knows the job is far from finished.

“That's one game of the four that we've got so we move on and we look forward to the next one.”

Led by hooker Codie Taylor, the All Blacks perform the haka before their first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Photo/Photosport/Ron Gaunt

Savea echoed that message. “We'll take this win but we know it's not over.”

Sunday's victory left the All Blacks with a clear lesson from Ellis Park: South Africa showed for 55 minutes that New Zealand still have plenty to fix, particularly up front.

But when the pressure was at its highest, the Pacific influence within the All Blacks pack helped turn the fight. And that could prove just as important as the final score when the two sides meet next weekend.

The second Test is at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday, 30 August, with kickoff at 3.10am (NZT).

For more details on Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour, click here.

All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi has been called into the squad after Ethan de Groot was forced from the field with a head injury against the Springboks. Photo/Photosport/John Davidson

TEAMS:

All Blacks: (15-1) Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Josh Moorby, Ruben Love, Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea (captain), Luke Jacobson, Tupou Vaa'i, Fabian Holland, Josh Lord, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. Replacements: (16-23) Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Anton Segner, Peter Lakai, Kyle Preston, Anton Lienert-Brown, Leroy Carter.

Springboks: (15-1) Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Grant Williams, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), Paul de Villiers, Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nché. Replacements: (16-23) Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Cobus Wiese, Andre Esterhuizen, Marco van Staden, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok.