The Soweto curse: Inside the Boks' 160-minute horror show
Soccer City holds a revered place in the realm of South African sports, yet for the Springboks, this esteemed venue is tinged with memories of past disappointments and unresolved wounds.
Over a gruelling 160 minutes of drama in 2010 and 2012, the All Blacks turned Soccer City into a battleground of despair, unleashing a form of psychological dominance that the local media still refer to as the ‘Soweto curse.’
The heart of the issue was not merely the losses themselves, but rather the excruciating manner in which victory slipped through the Boks’ fingers, all under the glaring stadium lights.
The ordeal started in 2010, when 94,713 fans came together to honour John Smit on his momentous 100th Test appearance, only to witness a heartbreaking denouement.
With a 22–17 lead and victory within reach, the Boks faltered under a relentless onslaught, conceding two crucial tries in the final moments as Richie McCaw and Israel Dagg delivered a stunning blow that echoes in the memories of all present.
The following encounter in 2012 proved equally disheartening, with an even more chilling outcome.
Following Bryan Habana’s efforts that propelled South Africa to a 16–12 lead at half-time, the team was systematically outplayed, failing to score in a ruthless second half that only reinforced the venue’s ominous reputation.
Now, fourteen years after their last disappointing experience in Soweto, the Springboks return with a crucial chance to confront and conquer these unresolved challenges.
Under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus, this Bok squad has a mental resilience their predecessors lacked, turning this weekend’s match into an opportunity for significant retribution rather than a replay of historic fears.
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2010 Tri-Nations: South Africa 22–29 New Zealand
This Test match unfolded before an impressive crowd of 94,713 just weeks after the conclusion of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Among those playing, South Africa’s captain John Smit would have felt the weight of heartbreak more than anyone else, as this match marked his 100th appearance for the national team.
The Springboks employed a classic approach characterised by high-pressure tactics and strategic kicking. Morné Steyn’s penalties kept South Africa in the lead for the majority of the game.
However, despite asserting dominance in the third quarter, the Springboks were unable to translate this advantage into a significant lead, leaving them susceptible to a counterattack.
With just 10 minutes remaining, South Africa clung to a narrow 22–17 advantage. Fatigue began to show in the midfield as the Springboks faced mounting pressure.
The All Blacks seized the opportunity to launch a powerful counterattack. In the 78th minute, Richie McCaw managed to score a try in the corner following a tense review for a potential forward pass.
With the score level at 22-all and the Boks needing to secure the kickoff, a breakdown penalty was conceded.
Ma’a Nonu seized the moment, breaking through the Springbok defence, while Smit attempted to make a crucial tackle. This allowed Israel Dagg to score the decisive try in the dying moments of the match.
Scorers
South Africa
Try: Schalk Burger
Con: Morné Steyn
Pens: Morné Steyn 5
New Zealand
Tries: Tony Woodcock, Israel Dagg, Richie McCaw
Con: Dan Carter
Pens: Dan Carter 4
Teams
South Africa: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (c), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Butch James, 22 Wynand Olivier.
New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Josevata Rokocoko, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 John Afoa, 18 Samuel Whitelock, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Israel Dagg.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
TMO: Sean Veldsman (South Africa)
2012 Rugby Championship: South Africa 16–32 New Zealand
This match marked the decisive final round of the inaugural Rugby Championship, taking place before an impressive crowd of 80,753 spectators. It also represented a significant milestone for Richie McCaw, as he celebrated his historic 100th Test victory.
The Springboks came out with remarkable intensity from the outset. They quickly established a 10–0 lead within the first quarter, catalysed by an early try from wing Bryan Habana, which was successfully converted by emerging flyhalf Johan Goosen.
Despite Goosen’s exit from the field due to injury late in the first half, South Africa maintained their composure and went into halftime with a narrow 16–12 advantage.
The second half, however, shifted decisively in favour of the All Blacks. Just 22 seconds after the restart, inside centre Ma’a Nonu crossed the try line, igniting a significant momentum swing.
Under growing pressure, the Springboks struggled to maintain discipline, culminating in an 11–3 penalty count against them.
Meanwhile, New Zealand showcased an unyielding defence that left South Africa scoreless in the second half.
The All Blacks surged ahead, accumulating 20 unanswered points to clinch a decisive victory, along with a bonus point, on South African territory.
Ultimately, the Springboks finished the second half without any points, as the efficient All Blacks completed a perfect tournament with six wins from six matches.
Scorers
South Africa
Try: Bryan Habana
Con: Johan Goosen
Pens: Johan Goosen, Elton Jantjies 2
New Zealand
Tries: Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith
Cons: Dan Carter 3
Pen: Dan Carter
DG: Dan Carter
Teams:
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar; 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Aaron Smith; 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Luke Romano, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Tamati Ellison./
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
* Footnote: The Springboks did play one other match at the venue in 2013, crushing Argentina 73–13, meaning their overall record at the stadium is one win and two losses.
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