South Africa Edge New Zealand 29-24 in Soweto Thriller to Lead Series 2-1

South Africa staged a second-half comeback to defeat New Zealand 29-24 in a fiercely contested third Test in Soweto on September 5, 2026. The victory puts the Springboks 2-1 ahead in the four-match series with just one game remaining, played in front of a crowd of 87,976 at FNB Stadium.

The intense match saw both sides trade four tries apiece. New Zealand struck first when Captain Ardie Savea finished off a driving move from Asafo Aumua. Kurt-Lee Arendse responded for the hosts before Savea crossed the line once again to restore New Zealand's lead, though a shoulder injury forced the visiting captain off shortly after. South Africa's scrum then earned a penalty try to level the scores at half-time.

Early in the second half, Will Jordan scored his 54th Test try to put New Zealand back in front, but Jesse Kriel quickly responded for South Africa. The Springboks then secured the victory through Malcolm Marx's driving-maul try and a penalty from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, with Samisoni Taukei'aho’s late try for New Zealand serving only as a consolation.

Celebrating his 55th victory as captain, South Africa's Siya Kolisi praised New Zealand's intensity, stating that the visitors had pushed his team to the limit. This result follows New Zealand's 33-16 win in the series opener at Ellis Park and South Africa's 33-26 victory in Cape Town. The teams will now travel to the United States for the fourth and final Test, scheduled at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on September 12, 2026.