Overview
- South Africa won the four-Test series 3-1, beating New Zealand 43-28 in the Baltimore decider and recording eight wins in their past ten meetings with the All Blacks.
- The series victory increased the Springboks’ lead at the top of the World Rugby rankings, reinforcing their position ahead of upcoming international fixtures.
- All Blacks assistant coach Neil Barnes publicly accused referees of favouring the Springboks, citing video comparisons that showed early scrum penalties called against New Zealand but not against South Africa.
- The refereeing focus repeatedly fell on set-piece calls, including penalties for a hooker’s ‘brake foot’ at scrums and management of lineouts and mauls, and those interpretations shaped momentum and tactics throughout the tour.
- Injuries and quick turnarounds affected selection for both teams, with key forward injuries limiting New Zealand’s ability to match South Africa’s forward control and influencing coaches’ post-series analysis.