Rennie backs Savea tackle call as All Blacks seal 33-16 win over Springboks

New Zealand defeated South Africa 33-16, with head coach Dave Rennie declaring the TMO review of Ardie Savea’s tackle on Jasper Wiese “technically the right call” in a post-match press conference that dissected one of the game’s most consequential moments.

The incident unfolded with the All Blacks holding a 10-point lead and pressing for the knockout blow. A Quinn Tupaea 50-22 had pinned the Springboks deep in their own 22 when a loose-ball turnover fell to Wiese, who powered through Savea’s initial tackle. Savea recovered to steal possession at the breakdown two phases later, but the TMO had already flagged the original contact for review.

Referee Matt Carley ruled no foul play had occurred, a verdict Rennie explained in biomechanical terms. “When Ardie hits him, his head comes forward, and so that means your first impact’s on the body if the head goes forward,” Rennie said. “If it goes backward, it means first impact is straight on the head. So it’s really good refereeing, and good to see at this level.”

Savea was candid about his anxiety during the deliberation. “I’ll be pretty biased tonight that I’m happy for the decision,” the All Blacks captain said. “But yeah, I was nervous — they made the call, and they worked in our favour.”

With the tackle cleared, attention shifted to the infringements that followed. Reserve flanker Marco van Staden was shown a yellow card for a deliberate side entry at the goal-line ruck — ruled a professional foul — and moments later Cobus Reinach compounded South Africa’s misery with a one-handed knock-down of a pass, earning a second yellow card and leaving the Springboks with 13 men.

The All Blacks made the numerical advantage count in the 74th minute. Savea floated a pass to an unmarked Will Jordan, who crossed untouched, and Ruben Love’s conversion from the touchline extended the margin to 33-16.

Rennie acknowledged that New Zealand had struggled to convert pressure into points in the first half but felt the team grew into the contest. “We felt we got some penalty advantage early in the game — we just weren’t able to get any continuity off that to put the Springboks under pressure or bring the ref into the game,” he said. “I thought we were better in that last 20.”