South Africa power past New Zealand in Baltimore to seal 3-1 series win

South Africa beat New Zealand 43-28 in Baltimore on 12 September to win Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series 3-1.

The world champions lost the opener heavily, then won three Tests in a row. That turnaround sealed the four-match contest in front of a capacity 71,000 crowd at M+T Bank Stadium, according to The Guardian.

New Zealand had started fast in Johannesburg, winning 33-16. South Africa, led by captain Siya Kolisi and coach Rassie Erasmus, hit back to take the second Test, then edged the third 29-24 in Soweto to lead 2-1 going to America.

Baltimore was new territory. It was the first three Tests that were all played in South Africa, and the finale on Saturday 12 September, kicking off at 2pm local time, was the All Blacks' first appearance in Baltimore.

South Africa scored six tries to New Zealand's four. A try, worth five points, is rugby union's main way of scoring, earned by grounding the ball over the opposition line.

Damian de Allende, Morne van den Berg, Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cameron Hanekom all crossed for South Africa. For New Zealand, captain Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Ethan Blackadder and Beauden Barrett scored.

The game was still live at 29-21 to South Africa before the Springboks pulled clear. Van den Berg, the scrum-half who links the forwards and backs, was named player of the match after scoring one of those tries.

Marx was named player of the series. The hooker, who throws in at the lineout and packs in the middle of the front row, had scored in the 65th minute of that tight third Test in Soweto.

The Baltimore Test was briefly strange as well as fast. Play was held up for more than eight minutes in the first half after the communication equipment between the match officials failed.

What makes this stand out is the response to defeat. Losing the first Test by 17 points could have sunk the tour. Instead South Africa won on three successive weekends, as noted by Reuters, to finish 3-1 up against their oldest rivals.

For fans, this means bragging rights stay in green and gold. The series, which also saw New Zealand face the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions in South Africa, was billed as a celebration of more than a century of Springboks against All Blacks. South Africa finished it stronger.