New Zealand beat Stormers 38-21 in first test

New Zealand began their first full-scale tour of South Africa in 30 years with a 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday night.

This match was the opening fixture of a three-test series between the All Blacks and the Springboks, known as the Freedom Series, marking the first time the two teams have met on South African soil since 1996. The tour is part of a broader push to reignite rugby rivalry between the nations and comes as both teams look to build momentum ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia. The All Blacks, ranked number one in the world, are chasing a rare series victory in South Africa, where they have struggled in recent years.

The Stormers, playing at home in Cape Town, started strongly but faded in the second half as New Zealand’s experienced backline, led by captain Sam Cane and fly-half Richie Mo’unga, took control. The All Blacks scored five tries to two, with winger Leicester Fainga’anuku and centre Rieko Ioane crossing the line twice. The visitors’ defence held firm in the final stages, despite a late surge from the Stormers. South Africa’s flanker Siya Kolisi, playing his first match since the World Cup final loss to New Zealand last October, was a standout performer for the hosts.

The result sets the tone for the rest of the series, with the second test in Johannesburg next weekend. Both teams will head into the next match knowing that a loss could put significant pressure on their title hopes. For New Zealand, a series win in South Africa would be a statement of intent ahead of the World Cup. For South Africa, anything less than a series win would raise fresh questions about their depth and readiness under new coach Jacques Nienaber. The opening game showed glimpses of both sides’ strengths but also left plenty of room for improvement before the more intense battles to come.