Springboks Beat All Blacks 43-28 in Baltimore to Seal Series Win

For a while, Baltimore looked set to give the Springboks one last nerve-shredding finish against the All Blacks. Then Kurt-Lee Arendse found space, Cameron Hanekom followed him over the line, and South Africa finally had the result they’d travelled to the United States to claim.

The Boks won Saturday’s fourth Test 43-28 at M&T Bank Stadium, scoring six tries to New Zealand’s four and taking the series 3-1. After losing the opener at Ellis Park, they won three Tests in a row to finish it on their terms.

A Three-Point Game at Halftime

South Africa struck first through an early Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty, but All Blacks captain Codie Taylor scored the opening try. Damian de Allende answered for the Boks, and Morné van den Berg darted over from a lineout move to extend the lead.

New Zealand refused to let the half get away from them. A long attacking passage ended with Will Jordan crossing, leaving the Boks just 17-14 ahead at the break. It was still very much a contest.

Van den Berg’s try was a particularly sharp moment from a player brought into the starting side for the series finale. With the forwards drawing New Zealand’s attention at the lineout, the scrumhalf spotted his gap and took it.

The Boks Make Their Move

The decisive spell came early in the second half. Scrum pressure helped South Africa kick to the corner, where Malcolm Marx finished a driving maul. Pieter-Steph du Toit then scored another try within minutes, and suddenly a three-point halftime lead had become a 29-14 advantage.

That burst showed two sides of the Bok attack. The scrum and maul supplied a familiar route to points, but South Africa were also quick to use the space that opened up after the restart. New Zealand had barely absorbed one setback before the next arrived.

The All Blacks still had a response. Ethan Blackadder’s try brought them back within eight points, and at 29-21 there was enough time for one more swing in the match. Arendse’s try in the 71st minute finally gave the Boks room to breathe. Hanekom added a sixth South African try soon afterwards, before Beauden Barrett scored late for New Zealand.

What the Result Says About the Series

A 15-point winning margin looks comfortable on paper. The last quarter didn’t feel quite so settled. The Boks had the stronger finish, but they also conceded four tries, and New Zealand were still close enough to threaten before Arendse broke clear.

That matters when looking back at the whole series. South Africa lost the first Test 33-16, responded with a 33-26 win in Cape Town and edged the third Test 29-24 in Soweto before producing their biggest score of the four matches in Baltimore. They didn’t simply repeat the same win each week. They found different ways to answer New Zealand and finished with three straight victories.

The Betting Read

There’s a temptation to carry six tries and 43 points straight into the next Springbok betting slip. We’d be careful with that. Baltimore was the fourth meeting between two sides that had spent weeks studying each other. The next opponent presents a different problem.

South Africa’s next scheduled Test is against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, 27 September, with kick-off at 11:30 SAST. Team selection, travel and the match conditions will all be worth checking before judging the handicap or total points line.

The useful takeaway from Baltimore isn’t simply that the Boks scored plenty. It’s that their set piece created points and their attack punished openings late in the game. Whether those strengths offer value against the Wallabies depends on the side Erasmus selects and the numbers bookmakers put up. If you’re weighing up those markets, our Test rugby betting guide explains the basics behind handicaps, totals and team-news checks.

For now, though, the betting questions can wait a moment. The Springboks went into this series one Test down and left Baltimore with a 3-1 win. That’s a turnaround worth enjoying.

Welcome bonus

50 No-Deposit Free Spins + R25 Sports Bonus

New customers only. Free spins and R25 bonus must be used within 24 hours. T&Cs apply.

CLAIM NOW ↗

Affiliate disclosure: StraightBet may earn a commission if you sign up through this link. This does not affect our editorial independence. 18+ only. Bet responsibly. Winners know when to stop. Get help and support.