Scott Barrett: “We were good for 62 minutes, but it’s an 80 minute game”
Scott Barrett in action for the All Blacks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett believes his side ‘were good for 62 minutes’, but knows that wasn’t enough to beat the Springboks at Ellis Park.
New Zealand held a 10-point lead heading into the final 15 minutes, but a yellow card to replacement Ofa Tu’ungafasi gave the Springboks a man advantage and eventually allowed them to run in 14 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes to snatch the win.
The victory for Rassie Erasmus’ side means they continue their perfect start to the Rugby Championship, collecting 14 of the 15 possible table points in their three games thus far.
“We were good for 62 minutes, but it’s an 80 minute game”
Speaking to SuperSport after the game, Barrett said: “We weren’t quite good enough, we were good for 62 minutes but it’s an 80 minute game.”
He also pinpointed some crucial reasons for the defeat, including the pivotal ‘repeated infringements’ which led to Tu’ungafasi’s yellow.
“I think there were two key moments. After the kick-offs we couldn’t get out of our half and they punished us. After repeated infringements down there and we found ourselves down a man and they got themselves over.
“It was certainly a huge effort and I’m proud of the boys, but it wasn’t enough tonight.”
Springboks leave it late to down All Blacks in epic Ellis Park showdown
The defeat leaves the All Blacks with just one win from their opening three matches in the Rugby Championship, and gives them a mountain to climb in their title defence.
It also marks the third-successive defeat to their arch-rivals South Africa, following the heavy 35-7 defeat at Twickenham prior to the World Cup and the narrow 12-11 defeat in the World Cup final.
“We have to be better next week”
The All Blacks now prepare for a trip to Cape Town for Test two against the Springboks. A win in the capital means New Zealand will retain the Freedom Cup, and also get their title defence back on track.
“I think we’ll regroup pretty quickly,” Barret said. There were some guys who’ve played up here for the first time (at Ellis Park), it’s intense. We have to be better next week.”
