Kriel proud of Boks’ fight, but admits not clinical enough against All Blacks

The Springboks will have another go at New Zealand this weekend in Wellington as they look to set things right after their loss at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday morning.

Despite a fightback in the second half, the world champions left themselves too much to do and fell to a disappointing 24-17 defeat. It was a match littered with errors from the Boks, especially in the first half, and they now have quite a few things to fix ahead of the second Rugby Championship Test.

First up will be preventing the All Blacks from getting off to a quick start again. Within the opening stanza, the home side scored two soft tries due to individual tackle errors, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb to get back into the contest. Their lineout also wasn’t functioning optimally, while handling errors and poor discipline disrupted momentum.

Another costly deficiency was the Boks’ inability to capitalise on opportunities and convert them into points.

Jesse Kriel, who captained the side for the first time against the Kiwis, said they have another chance to set things right this weekend.

“We always knew that New Zealand wanted a fast start,” he said.

“This is a group of guys who are always willing to stand up and fight. So, I am very proud of how the guys came back. There was always a sense of calmness within the group, whether it was on attack or when we were behind the poles after those two early tries.

“Regardless of the situation, the guys will always be willing to fight. I was proud of that fight.”

Kriel, however, added that they were not clinical or good enough to win a Test match of this magnitude.

The Boks’ winless record of 88 years at Eden Park will now be extended after this loss, and it will likely be some time before they get another opportunity to face New Zealand at the iconic stadium. South Africa looked to be in a position to salvage at least a draw towards the end, but the Kiwis held firm in defence.

Centurion Ardie Savea poached a ball at the breakdown, and that turnover effectively sealed the match for his side.

“We played badly for a few minutes, and it cost us, which is very disappointing. Credit to New Zealand for the way they played and closed out the match.”