Reviewed by Shihaam IsaacsSouth Africa sports betting writer
Published 25 August 2026
New Zealand beat South Africa 33 to 16 at Ellis Park on Saturday 22 August, ending a Springbok run of twelve Tests without defeat.
South Africa led 13 to 12 at the interval and then lost control of the match. Will Jordan scored twice for the All Blacks, with Josh Moorby, Fabian Holland and Luke Jacobson also crossing. Andre Esterhuizen scored the only South African try.
A home record that had stopped looking breakable
The scoreline is the part that will sting. A seventeen point margin at Ellis Park, at altitude, against a Springbok side that had not lost a Test in twelve outings, is not a narrow off day that can be explained away by a bounce of the ball or a refereeing call. New Zealand scored five tries in Johannesburg. South Africa scored one.
Leading at the break and losing by that distance also points at the second half rather than the selection. The Springboks have spent two seasons winning the last twenty minutes of Tests, using the bench to finish games that were level going into the final quarter. On Saturday the closing period went the other way, and the side that had built its reputation on it had no answer.
Cape Town on Saturday
The second Test follows in Cape Town on Saturday, at sea level, which removes the altitude argument in both directions. South Africa have not had to respond to a defeat of this size in a long while, and the response is now the story. AXN Sports will cover the second Test and the selection that comes before it.
Where to bet: the Cape Town Test is one of the most heavily traded rugby fixtures of the South African year, so expect the full menu rather than the thin markets that follow a midweek warm up. Hollywoodbets and Betway, both licensed through provincial gambling boards, price match result, handicap, total points, first try scorer and winning margin bands in rand, with deposits by Ozow instant EFT, Capitec Pay and OTT Voucher. Handicaps move sharply after a result like this one, so it is worth comparing the line at two or three operators before you take it rather than accepting the first number you see. Our guide to the best betting sites in South Africa covers licensing and payout times, and there is more in South Africa rugby news. 18+. Gamble responsibly.
