Elton Jantjies’ last-gasp penalty earned South Africa victory in a thrilling encounter with New Zealand, denying the All Blacks a clean sweep in the Rugby Championship.
The momentum shifted one way and then the other, with the lead changing hands four times in the final four minutes as Jantjies eventually clinched a 31-29 success for the Springboks.
New Zealand had already wrapped up the Rugby Championship title with victory over the world champions a week ago but were looking to round off the competition with a sixth win from six as they build form into the Autumn Nations Series.
They trailed early in the Gold Coast though, Lukhanyo Am and Sbu Nkosi with some delightful hands to put Damian de Allende over for the opening try.
New Zealand hit back on the quarter-hour when Sevu Reece went over in the corner after a clever cross-kick from Beauden Barrett.
And when Ardie Savea and Brad Weber scored either side of the half-hour, the first a beautiful move off first phase, New Zealand looked in control.
However South Africa stayed in touch, trailing 20-14 at the break, and then going back in front thanks to Makazole Mapimpi’s try on 52 minutes, set up by a 50:22 from replacement Francois Steyn.
A Jantjies penalty stretched the lead to 25-20, but Jordie Barrett brought New Zealand back with two penalties to give them a one-point lead.
Jantjies’ long-range drop goal on 77 minutes was immediately cancelled out by another Barrett three-pointer. But with the clock in the red, New Zealand strayed offside in front of their own posts and the replacement fly-half slotted the points as South Africa came from behind to beat New Zealand for the first time since 1998.
The win pushes them back to the top of the world rankings, at the expense of their opponents, but they finish third in the Rugby Championship.
That is because earlier in the day, Australia got the better of Argentina 32-17 to record a fourth straight win in the Rugby Championship for the first time.
Andrew Kellaway was the star of the show for the Wallabies, running in a hat-trick of tries to take his tally to eight in six starts this year – his first on the international scene.
Folau Fainga’a had got the ball rolling for Australia, with Kellaway’s first helping them to a 15-3 half-time lead.
Samu Kerevi was next to cross, before Kellaway added two more to put the result beyond doubt.
Argentina finished on a high though as debutant prop Thomas Gallo went over for two tries on debut and they will hope to build on that in their opening game in the Autumn Nations Series against France in November.
