Matfield backs Springboks to recover after 33-16 All Blacks loss

Victor Matfield believes South Africa can respond in Cape Town after the Springboks lost 33-16 to New Zealand at Ellis Park. The result left the All Blacks 1-0 ahead in the four-Test series and ended South Africa’s 12-match winning run.

Matfield, a former Springbok captain, said the defeat had not changed his view of the team’s prospects. He argued that the gap between leading international sides is now narrow enough for any team to lose when it fails to take its chances.

The former second-rower also rejected the idea that the score fully reflected the balance of the match. In his assessment, South Africa controlled important areas, including the scrum, while their lineout improved after half-time. He also felt the Springboks were the more effective attacking side between the two 22-metre lines.

South Africa’s main failure, in Matfield’s view, came in the first half. The hosts created three scoring opportunities but did not convert them, while New Zealand showed greater efficiency whenever it reached the 22-metre area. That difference allowed the All Blacks to build a decisive advantage despite South Africa’s periods of control.

Matfield said New Zealand’s defence also did not reveal a wider attacking threat from set-piece positions. However, he credited the visitors for their execution in key moments and singled out Cam Roigard as a player capable of influencing a Test when the pressure is highest.

New Zealand’s victory returned them to the top of the World Rugby rankings for the first time in a year. South Africa had also faced questions after losing to Australia a year earlier, but Matfield recalled that the team recovered from that setback after a match in which early mistakes had proved costly.

With three Tests still to play, Matfield does not believe the Ellis Park result shows that New Zealand will defeat South Africa repeatedly. He remains confident that the Springboks’ control in several phases gives them a strong basis for a response when the series moves to Cape Town.