There was one hurdle left before the serious business. The All Blacks cleared it comfortably at Loftus Versfeld, making it six wins in a row.
The Bulls started well, though. Driving maul after maul five metres out, the Pretoria side ran into the New Zealand defence, then into a scrum that put their pack on the ground. Two tries were then ruled out in the first half, including one for Hanro Liebenberg on his return to Loftus.
By then the All Blacks had pulled away. Josh Moorby finished twice in the corner, once from an inside ball from Peter Lakai, before Codie Taylor scored two of his own, the first from a quick-tap penalty and the second just before the break. A 50:22 from Josh Jacomb had put New Zealand inside the opposition 22. At half-time it was 24-0.
Ruan Vermaak sparked a Bulls fightback straight after the restart, but the damage was done. The All Blacks finished with eight tries, as many as against the Sharks, with braces for Moorby, Taylor and Leroy Carter, and a try for Rieko Ioane.
Former Montpellier man Moorby and player of the match Segner
The two standout performers are not the best-known names in the squad. Josh Moorby, 28, has a French past: our records show fifteen Top 14 games for Montpellier in 2024-2025, with two tries. Back home, he exploded with 17 tries in 16 Super Rugby games the following season. In all, 122 games and 55 tries in his career.
Anton Segner, named player of the match, made twelve carries and thirteen tackles, not counting his turnovers. At 25, the Blues back-rower has 100 professional games and 11 tries, and is piling pressure on the selectors seven days out from the first Test.
As for Codie Taylor, his brace came four days after his 110th Test in the black jersey, his first as captain.
Three games, 142 points
| Opponent | Venue | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Stormers | Cape Town | 38-21 |
| Sharks | Durban | 54-0 |
| Bulls | Pretoria | 50-19 |
The All Blacks therefore go into the series on six straight wins, counting their three Nations Championship victories in July. Dave Rennie steered clear of any triumphalism after the game, saying the level will have to go up another notch at Ellis Park.
What’s at stake next Saturday
The first of four Tests against the Springboks takes place on 22 August in Johannesburg. Rennie confirmed that Richie Mo’unga will not be selected for that game, having only joined the squad on Friday evening as a replacement for Billy Proctor. Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan and Cam Roigard remain doubtful, and no one has been called up after Caleb Clarke’s injury.
There is more at stake than the series: ranked first and second in the world, the two sides meet with the number one spot on the line. A New Zealand win at Ellis Park, by any margin, would put the All Blacks back on top for the first time since August 2025.
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