Ellis Park a Springbok Fortress?
South Africans whose memory still exults in that 1995 victory over the All Blacks in the 1995 World Cup Final may have the idea that Ellis Park is a winning venue for the Springboks and take comfort in the thought.
Just think of the romance of that day – the huge crowd, the sudden breathtaking whoosh of the Boeing, Nelson Mandela, Joel Stransky's drop, Francois Pienaar taking the cup from an overjoyed Nelson Mandela, Six from Six – all of that – one of the great days in South Africa's history, the greatest in its sporting history.
But Ellis Park in fact carries with it no guarantee of victory at all.
Then very first Test played at Ellis Park was won by the All Blacks. The last Test played at Ellis Park was won by the All Blacks.
Springboks and All Blacks have met there 12 times. The Springboks have won eight, the All Blacks four times. It's a bit surprising at altitude where the crowd is the most aggressively patriotic in the land.
The headquarters of Johannesburg rugby had moved from the Wanderers to Ellis Park and the first test was played there on 21 July 1928, the second Test in the first South African series between the two top rugby nations in the world. The 1921 series had been drawn in New Zealand and in 1928 the Springboks had won the first Test 17-0 in Durban – a huge victory for those days.
In this second Test of the series, New Zealand kicked a penalty goal and a drop. South Africa kicked a penalty goal and a drop. New Zealand won, 7-6. The difference? Phil Mostert kicked his drop from a mark and that counted three points. Archie Strang kicked his drop in open play and that counted four points.
Mostert's goal from a mark was all the more remarkable as he was a prop forward. He opened the scoring in the match with the kick from about 45 yards from the posts. Dave Lindsay kicked a penalty goal to make the score 3-all. In the second half Bennie Osler scored a penalty goal, but about 10 minutes from the end Strang, a centre, got the ball from a scrum and kicked the winning drop to square the series.
It was a drab match despite ideal conditions. A huge crowd of some 38 000 attended, including Prime Minister JBM Hertzog.
South Africa: JC Tindall, NS Tod, JC van der Westhuizen, JAR Dobie, GH Brand, BL Osler, D Devine, GM Daneel, NF Pretorius, NJV van Druten, HJ Potgieter, PJ Nel, SP van Wyk, TL Krüger, PJ Mostert (captain).
New Zealand: DF Lindsay, ACC Robilliard, WA Strang, SR Carleton, BA Grenside, LM Johnson, WC Dalley, RT Stewart, WE Hazlett, GT Alley, I Finlayson, MJ Brownlie (captain), JP Swain, S Hadley, RG McWilliams.
Referee: VH Neser (South Africa).
The next time they met was 21 years later in days when Test matches were not everyday occurrences. This was 1949 and the whitewash of the All Blacks, and this time the victory, again in the second Test of the series, was a scintillating affair and a victory more convincing than the score suggests.
A record rugby union crowd of 72 000 paid a record £30 000 to see the Springboks win hands down, though the score said only 12-6.
Scores level, there was an electric moment. From a scrum in midfield, flyhalf Hansie Brewis shaped to drop. Jim Kearney came to block the kick. Brewis checked and in a shudder of genius swung round the back of the scrum. He shaped to pass. He shaped to stab a punt. He accelerated through a gap and ran 20 yards to score. In the second half, Hennie Muller and Brewis sent Tjol Lategan scooting away, inside Bob Scott for a try in the corner.
South Africa: JH van der Schyff, FP Marais, MT Lategan, RAM van Schoor, C Moss, JD Brewis, PA du Toit, HSV Muller, LJ Strydom, JA du Rand, F du Plessis (captain), HV Koch, AO Geffin, RP Jordaan, AC Koch.
New Zealand: RWH Scott, WA Meates, FR Allen (captain), RR Elvidge, P Henderson, JC Kearney, LT Savage, P Johnstone, JR McNab, LA Grant, LR Harvey, HF Frazer, KL Skinner, EH Catley, JG Simpson.
Referee: RD Burmeister (South Africa).
This win was followed by three successive victories for South Africa – in 1960, 1970 and 1976.
In 1960 Wilson Whineray's team seemed invincible – till they got to Ellis Park for the first Test of the series. Tall Hennie van Zyl scored two tries, both of which had their origin with the intrusion of Mike Antelme the blindside wing. The All Blacks, the favourites to win, went onto the defensive and failed to score. South Africa won 13-0.
South Africa: RG Dryburgh (captain), JGM Antelme, JL Gainsford, AI Kirkpatrick, HJ van Zyl, K Oxlee, RJ Lockyear, JA Nel, HJM Pelser, GH van Zyl, JT Claassen, AS Malan, PS du Toit, GF Malan, AC Koch.
New Zealand: DB Clarke, JR Watt, TPA O'Sullivan, TR Lineen, RW Caulton, AH Clarke, KC Briscoe, RJ Conway, PF Hilton-Jones, KR Tremain, IN MacEwan, CE Meads, MW Irwin, D Young, WJ Whineray (captain).
Referee: EA Strasheim (South Africa).
In 1970 the All Blacks, no longer an all-white team but allowed to chose their own side without South African pressure, again seemed invincible but were probably flattered by losing only 20-17 for the Springboks were much the better side. The Springboks led 14-3 at half-time and were ahead throughout though a try by the great Bryan Williams enabled the All Blacks to get to 17-14 before Joggie Jansen jolted the ball out of Gerald Kember's grasp and Gert Müller raced off for the try that made the game safe but the try of the match was scored by Piet Visagie, one of the great flyhalf tries as he ran some 40 yards from a scrum to score.
South Africa: ID McCallum, SH Nomis, F du T Roux, JS Jansen, GH Müller, PJ Visagie, DJ de Villiers (captain), JA Nel, JH Ellis, PJF Greyling, JJ Spies, FCH du Preez, JFK Marais, JFB van Wyk, JL Myburgh.
New Zealand: GF Kember, MJ Dick, IR MacRae, GS Thorne, BG Williams, BDM Furlong, SM Going, BJ Lochore (captain), TN Lister, IA Kirkpatrick, AR Sutherland, CE Meads, BL Müller, RA Urlich, K Murdoch.
Referee: TH Woolley (South Africa).
To this day New Zealanders believed that they were robbed in the fourth Test in 1976 when they scored two tries to one and lost. They believe that they should have been awarded a penalty try just before the end and not just a penalty. In fact the All Blacks were much the better side but this questionable win enabled the Springboks to win the series – not the only questionable win between the two countries.
South Africa: IW Robertson, CF Pope, JJ Oosthuizen, PJM Whipp, JS Germishuys, GR Bosch, PCR Bayvel, M du Plessis (captain), JL Kritzinger, JHH Coetzee, KBH de Klerk, JL van Heerden, JHP Strauss, JFB van Wyk, JCJ Stander.
New Zealand: DJ Robertson, BG Williams, BJ Robertson, JE Morgan (WM Osborne), GB Batty (TW Mitchell), OD Bruce, SM Going, AR Leslie (captain), KA Eveleigh, IA Kirkpatrick, PJ Whiting, FJ Oliver, WK Bush, RW Norton, KK Lambert.
Referee: GP Bezuidenhout (South Africa).
The 1992 Test was the first one for the Springboks back from isolation and they were much more comprehensively beaten than the 27-24, three tries each, score suggests. Before that nobody knew where Springbok rugby stood after a long period of isolation. Now they knew and the Australia win a week later at Newlands would reinforce the gap.
Two of the Springbok tries – by Pieter Müller and Danie Gerber – were scored in the last five minutes of the match. The Springbok forwards could just not match the All Black pack.
South Africa: JTJ van Rensburg, JT Small (HT Fuls), DM Gerber, PG Müller, P Hendriks, HE Botha (captain), RJ du Preez, JC Breedt, I MacDonald, WJ Bartmann, AW Malan, A Geldenhuys, LJJ Müller, UL Schmidt, PH Rodgers (JJ Styger).
New Zealand: JKR Timu, JJ Kirwan, FE Bunce, WK Little, VL Tuigamala (MJA Cooper), GJ Fox, AD Strachan (JP Preston), ZV Brooke, MN Jones, JW Joseph, RM Brooke, ID Jones, OM Brown, SBT Fitzpatrick (captain), RW Loe.
Referee: AR MacNeill (Australia).
Then came the glories of 1995 – the World Cup – the victory over Australia on the opening day, the fight in Port Elizabeth when the lights delayed the kick-off, the grim defeat of France in sopping wet Durban in the semifinal and then the tryless final that went into extra time.
Jonah Lomu was the All Blacks biggest weapon but the Springboks scrambled over each other to bring him down and not once in his great career did the big man score a try against South Africa.
In the end it was a soaring drop by Joel Stanshky in the second half of extra time that won the match and burst the new nation into rejoicing. It was the 24 June 1995.
South Africa: AJ Joubert, JT Small (B Venter), JC Mulder, HP le Roux, CM Williams, JT Stransky, JH van der Westhuizen, MG Andrews (RAW Straeuli), RJ Kruger, JF Pienaar (captain), JJ Strydom, JJ Wiese, ISdeV Swart (GL Pagel), CleC Rossouw, JP du Randt.
New Zealand: GM Osborne, JW Wilson (MCG Ellis), FE Bunce, WK Little, JT Lomu, AP Mehrtens, GTM Bachop (AD Strachan: Temp), ZV Brooke, JA Kronfeld, MR Brewer (JW Joseph), RM Brooke, ID Jones, OM Brown, SBT Fitzpatrick (captain), CW Dowd (RW Loe).
Referee: EF Morrison (England).
There had been six Tests in 64 years and then the second six in 19 years as the world changed with the onslaught of professionalism and television to finance it. Of that second group of six Tests, NZ won two – in 1997 and 1998.
In 1996 the sides each scored three tries but the Springboks won 32-22 as Henry Honiball and André Joubert kicked 17 points to Andrew Mehrtens's seven.
South Africa: AJ Joubert, J Swart, JC Mulder (JT Stransky), D van Schalkwyk, P Hendriks, HW Honiball, JH van der Westhuizen, GH Teichmann (captain), AG Venter (WS Fyvie), RJ Kruger, MG Andrews (FJ van Heerden), JJ Wiese, MH Hurter, J Dalton, DF Theron (GL Pagel).
New Zealand: CM Cullen (A Ieremia), JW Wilson, FE Bunce, WK Little, GM Osborne, AP Mehrtens, JW Marshall, ZV Brooke, JA Kronfeld, MN Jones (GL Taylor), ID Jones, RM Brooke, OM Brown, SBT Fitzpatrick (captain), CW Dowd.
Referee: WD Bevan (Wales).
South Africa scored 32 points again in 1997 but this time the All Blacks scored 35, four tries to two. Frank Bunce got two tries but Jannie de Beer's four penalties and two dropped goals kept the Springboks in touch.
South Africa: RG Bennett (JT Small), AH Snyman, PC Montgomery (HW Honiball), D van Schalkwyk, PWG Rossouw, JH de Beer, JH van der Westhuizen, GH Teichmann (captain), AG Venter, RJ Kruger, MG Andrews (FJ van Heerden), K Otto, MH Hurter, AE Drotské, JP du Randt (DF Theron).
New Zealand: CM Cullen, JW Wilson, FE Bunce, L Stensness, TJF Umaga (A Ieremia), CJ Spencer, JW Marshall, ZV Brooke, JA Kronfeld, TC Randell, RM Brooke, ID Jones, OM Brown, SBT Fitzpatrick (captain) (NJ Hewitt), CW Dowd.
Referee: PL Marshall (Australia).
The Springboks won the high scoring encounters in 2000 and 2004.
In 2000 they scored six tries to four – six against the tough All Blacks – and won 46-40. Robbie Fleck and Werner Swanepoel each scored two tries.
South Africa: GM Delport, CM Williams, G Esterhuizen, RF Fleck (JNB van der Westhuyzen), BJ Paulse, AJJ van Straaten, W Swanepoel, AN Vos (captain), CPJ Krige (WG Brosnihan), J Erasmus, MG Andrews (PA van den Berg), AG Venter, IJ Visagie (W Meyer), CF Marais, A-H le Roux (JW Smit).
New Zealand: CM Cullen (LR MacDonald), TJF Umaga, A Ieremia, PPF Alatini, JT Lomu, AP Mehrtens, JW Marshall, RT Cribb, JA Kronfeld (SM Robertson), TC Randell, NMC Maxwell (TV Flavell), TJ Blackadder (captain), KJ Meeuws (GM Somerville), AD Oliver (MG Hammett), CH Hoeft.
Referee: A Cole (Australia).
In 2004 they won again, 40-26, scoring five tries to two. Marius Joubert did what Ray Mordt had done in 1981 – scored a hat-trick of tries against the All backs in a match in which the lead changed five times and the All Blacks led with 13 minutes to play when Jean de Villiers scored a try that gave the Springboks the lead.
South Africa: PC Montgomery, BJ Paulse, MJC Joubert, D Barry, J de Villiers, JNB van der Westhuyzen, JH Conradie (PF du Preez), JC van Niekerk (J Cronjé), GJJ Britz, SWP Burger, V Matfield, JP Botha (AJ Venter), EP Andrews (MH Shimange), JW Smit (captain), JP du Randt (CJ van der Linde)
New Zealand: JM Muliaina, DC Howlett, JF Umaga (captain), S Tuitupou (AJD Mauger), JT Rokocoko, AP Mehrtens, JW Marshall (BT Kelleher), XJ Rush (M Tuiali'i), MR Holah (CA Newby), JB Gibbes, TS Maling, CR Jack, CJ Hayman, KF Mealamu. KJ Meeuws (G Somerville)
Referee: N Williams (Wales)
2013. And then there is last year's magnificent match at Ellis Park, perhaps the best match ever played between the two countries, won 38-27 by the All Blacks who scored five tries to four, a match in which the lead changed seven times.
South Africa: Z Kirchner (PJ Lambie), WJ le Roux, JJ Engelbrecht, J de Villiers (captain), BK Habana (JL Serfontein), M Steyn, PF Fourie (R Pienaar), DJ Vermeulen, WS Alberts (S Kolisi), L-F Louw, PJJ Kruger (F van der Merwe), E Etzebeth, JN du Plessis (CV Oosthuizen), BW du Plessis (JA Strauss), T Mtawarira (GG STeenkamp)
New Zealand: IJA Dagg, BR Smith, MA Nonu, SJ Savea (CT Piutau), AW Cruden (BJ Barrett), AL Smith (TNJ Kerr-Barlow), KJ Read, RH McCaw (captain), LJ Messam (DS Luatua), SL Whitelock, BA Retallick (SJ Cane), CC Faumuina (BJ Franks), AK Hore (BS Coles), TD Woodcock (WWV Crockett)
Referee: N Owens (Wales)
