EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS: All Blacks v South Africa (1997)

With 100 years of All Blacks v South Africa rugby being celebrated in 2021, we are looking back at some of the classic matches between the sides.
We kick off the thriller from Ellis Park in 1997.
CREDIT: Sky Sport NZ

[@ioelubrown4587]

Wow what a game👍. Who's watching this in 2021😁👏👏

[@s0410633]

2024!

[@westauxwaitaks]

Frank Bunce was a great centre. I enjoyed watching him play - North Harbour, Chiefs, ABs

[@nepiahemopo1702]

@ Uli Vao I enjoyed watching him too. There is no way he ought to have scored those tries, but for his guile and audacity! He must have beaten five or more defenders!! The cheek of it!!

[@MrTin71]

New Zealand only saw his greatness after the Samoan team picked him on their 1995 world cup team. That was the best 15 team Samoa ever had.

[@nepiahemopo1702]

@@MrTin71 Yeah you're right!! He was playing and he may have been on the radar. After that World Cup performance, the rest is history.

[@soufiame]

One of the greatest games of rugby between All Blacks vs Springboks Ive EVER seen. Thanks for uploading it.

[@justinpreid]

I'll always remember the purity of that Bunce try. Through the gap, kept the defense guessing, try! Hard to score such tries now with roaming defense. Awesome.

[@floydkingi4364]

Wally Lewis style try

[@scottjohnston6841]

Frank Bunce the prince of centres. That second Bunce try I rate as one of the best individual tries for the All Blacks. 35 years old at the time and still carving up. Yet to see a better 13

[@johndykes8042]

Real rugby real rugby men one of the few wins in south africa were we came from behind to win ,the ura before fitzy,zinzan,jones,bunce,little all retired and we all had to suffer through 98,99 2000 wasn't until 2001 when we came back to be the top side again

[@huepix]

Yup Hard on Randell to take over as skip at a young age, after all those players, all of whom were leaders in their own right, left and play out of position doing it.

[@johndykes8042]

@@huepix yep sure was probably overwhelmed with the amount of attention a loss can bring let alone 4 in one season started off well with wins over fiji or whoever's but soon as aussie and the boks came along it all went pear shape and then the loss against france at the world cup.......

[@JimChap]

Aussie pipped us with a late try in 2001 to retain the Bledisloe - which they did again in 2002 (1-1)....2003 was when we finally regained it, and convincingly so - haven't lost it since - however, in 2003 England were the best team in the world... Took us to 2004/5 to be clearly the best team I reckon. Years 1998 to 2003 were a bit grim V Aussie and SA.

[@huepix]

Great to see Lee Stensness play. Such a talent, especially outside Spencer. I still remember the tackle where his leg innocuously twisted to one side. Never played again at the same level

[@rugbydaydreamin]

Lee Stensness is a name that's not discussed enough as a great attacking AB Center. Solid vision, speed and play making abilities. He set up Bunce's try perfectly.

[@dsartain3404]

Bunce is a legend. Star studded AB team, I remember the joy of watching them.

[@Villafarrell]

Bunce at his Best! Still clearly remember this classic match @ the mighty Ellis Park

[@MaxWeir]

Legendary players of a great era of rugby, it was a real super star team

[@lastboyscoutNZ]

That Tackle on the Sb first try by JM would now be deemed high and we'd be down to 14 players....

[@mitchand9]

Bunce has to be one of the ABs most underrated centers.

[@saveit4last]

Nope we rate him and hold him in very high regards...

[@mitchand9]

@@saveit4last No. We don't.

[@saveit4last]

@@mitchand9 he was never underrated mate he has over 50 caps and was held in high regard for his ball carrying AND defence dont worry I grew up in late 80s and early 90s I watched every all black game during that time

[@mitchand9]

@@saveit4last yet he's never mentioned when the subject of ABs greatest centers. Like I said. Underrated. Pay attention.

[@saveit4last]

@@mitchand9 never mentioned by who? You? Stop making stuff up mate

[@RichardLeonardrlbodytrainer]

I was lucky to be at this game. There were only a couple of hundred Kiwis at the game. The South African crowd was pretty quite at the end of the game. The stadium and crowd was amazing.

[@Tehui1974]

That remains the best international game of rugby that I've seen.

[@maximl8820]

Man Frank Bunce was some player. Was lucky to see him play

[@quickissme]

Bunce was a beast

[@wolfgangvonuce9615]

Goldie was an awesome player great try from him

[@johnblack9298]

Only thing missing is.. Michael Jones who suffered a bad injury in the first test 97 against Fiji

[@dhirshg]

I have followed every single Bok test since 1995 but can't remember this game for the life of me. Probably followed it on radio. One of the all time great games. Boks deserved a draw...De Beer and drop goals though..."well we have another Naas Botha on our hands". I think the week after this the Boks thumped Aus 61-22 and then Nick Mallet took over.

[@yakkattack]

When the jersey’s were sooo easy to grab 😂

[@hbmcgregor]

Far to tight these days

[@bayernmunchen4435]

😆

[@cringycook9597]

The show and go was a lot more frequent back then

[@dr.curryputshersexyglasses4317]

“Good time’s very good time’s”

[@gumbootcity_nz8453]

Back when the game was sponsored by alcohol and cigarettes🤣 good times

[@johndykes8042]

I,m no pc areshole but l dont quite think you see the damage both can do l would never ever smoke but dont mind a drink

[@gumbootcity_nz8453]

@@johndykes8042 I was being sarcastic!! I hate cigarettes!! But unfortunately I do enjoy a beer now and then aswell🤐😁 actually have some beer in the fridge ready for 3am lol🤦‍♂️ NZ time when the Lions play South Africa can't wait!! Being a 37 year old father of four I'm glad our game isn't sponsored by alcohol and cigarettes and our kids don't have to be brainwashed by their marketing lol!! All good. GO THE LIONS🍻🍺

[@nepiahemopo1702]

The game is now sponsored/owned by multinational companies and oligarchs, while costs for fans, families continue to esculate. A fkn shame!

[@johndykes8042]

Oh ok never can tell in a text how other people will take your meaning without being clear didn't sound sarcastic to me but however will take you at your word😄

[@johndykes8042]

@@nepiahemopo1702 yep all changed now not for the love of the game or country but you cant escape the feeling that after a team loser,s when they put there head on the pillow the last thought at night is l,ll still get paid regardless!!!!

[@cullyx2913]

Brilliant

[@jordantoogood9664]

Yep

[@MarcoV_dj]

Looking forward to our Nations 100th Test match - #Bokke

[@anthonycorboy5122]

When rugby was rugby.the springboks are just not the same anymore with the quota system.

[@nepiahemopo1702]

@ Anthony Corboy oh, you mean during the apartheid the Boks were great! Right?

[@anthonycorboy5122]

@@nepiahemopo1702I'm not going to buy into your comment sorry.

[@nepiahemopo1702]

@@anthonycorboy5122 OK, fair enough. I hope the Springboks win.

[@anthonycorboy5122]

@@nepiahemopo1702 me to

[@PaulLMF]

They're World Champs FGS (ABs fan)

[@WalterWhite-sm2dr]

Ellis park again this weekend 2024 - just like in 97 the Boks too were world champions ..

[@quickissme]

Vince was a beast

[@johndykes8042]

Yes even watching it now l get nervous and worried if we are going to win even though l know the score ,what a whimp

[@guesswho6925]

Wow no quota system for the boks and forwards using the sprigs to clean out and a ref who lets it go! I thought when things evolve they get better lol

[@johndykes8042]

Were was jonah!!!!

[@ovinisorovakatini3350]

He went to Nineveh.

[@johndykes8042]

@@ovinisorovakatini3350 what!were?

[@ovinisorovakatini3350]

@@johndykes8042 Bula vinaka from Fiji.

[@johndykes8042]

Bunce,s best game ever

[@jorgeboedo9913]

This is rugby , now is so soft and slow.

[@robdykes3659]

One of the best matches you will ever see a rear win at Ellis park,home of the springboks for the ab,s

[@bloembloem7820]

SA rugby just not the same anymore.. :(

[@xathletes8177]

Shucks honestly, South Africa made heaps of fal plays especially when Cullen was pulled by the jersey when king Carlos scored.. South Africa had every chance to win and it was theirs to win considering home advantage.. karma works at its best when you make silly decisions lol 😂..

[@LoganJohnsonLJP]

Typical Springboks playing negative football, with chances to put NZ under pressure and score tries, instead they went for drop goals, and penalties. The All Blacks scored 4 converted tries, and 3/3 penalties. Springboks, scored 2 converted tries, 4/5 penalties, 2/3 drop goals.

[@bloembloem7820]

The whole system is flawed in SA as government involvement and politics have killed the game by taking it away from the people who really cared about the game of rugby. I agree they need to expand the games beyond traditional playing cultures or groups but this shouldn't come at a cost to anyone. Just look how weak the provisional sides are, transformation caused this. With better players moving overseas or either giving up on going pro as they are not getting the opportunities to develop at elite level.

[@NuXta]

Kinda pointless watching a game when you can't see the score.

[@St_AngusYoung]

New Zealand 35-32 South Africa...problem solved

[@NuXta]

@@St_AngusYoung Not really since you can't see it throughout the game. It's rather sad that I need to spell this out for you.

[@St_AngusYoung]

@@NuXta and its rather sad that you need the score constantly on screen for a game from 24 years ago. NZ won, run along now

[@joshuakeenan2969TheTruth]

OBELIX OBLIVIONS

[@joshuakeenan2969TheTruth]

Quarters 86 Drink To The Date Bottle Onie

[@joshuakeenan2969TheTruth]

Was Also King

[@regularjohn7123]

Too old, too slow, 2 tries!

[@Simonmoke71]

Too much

[@nepiahemopo1702]

The old fulla smoked James Small!! 😄😄😄