Kolisi fires up Springboks to hit back against All Blacks and level series

Second Test: South Africa 33-26 New Zealand

Kolisi and Marx inspire world champions to victory

The Boks are back. Level at one apiece in the series and back to what they do best. Blending power and directness, blood and thunder to edge out far enough ahead of New Zealand and withstand a gutsy comeback from the All Blacks. Throw in some brazen mischief from Rassie Erasmus, who swapped his entire front-row just an hour before kick-off, and this was much closer to a trademark Springboks performance after they were unrecognisable a week ago.

They were far from flawless but constantly ferocious. It was not a knockout blow – not least given how the All Blacks finished the match – but it was some counterpunch after last week’s humbling. The third Test is scheduled for Johannesburg but they may consider relocating to Manila.