AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand stretched its unbeaten record at Eden Park to 51 matches with a 24-17 win over world champion South Africa on Saturday in a match played in passing rain and under a hail of Springboks' kicks.
South Africa kicked incessantly in the first half, from scrumhalf, flyhalf and center but without positive effect in a test billed as the biggest of the year.
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Damian McKenzie, left, of New Zealand and Cheslin Kolbe of South Africa compete for the ball during their rugby international at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Jordie Barrett of New Zealand run sat the defence during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Samisoni Taukei'aho of New Zealand runs at the defence during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Will Jordan of New Zealand scores a try during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
South Africa halfback Grant Williams is tackled by the All Blacks Simon Parker, right, during the rugby international between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Brett Phibbs/Photosport via AP)
The All Blacks, coming off a loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires two weeks ago, attacked with ball in hand and scored tries inside 17 minutes to winger Emoni Narawa and fullback Will Jordan, building a lead that the Springboks couldn't break down.
In contrast with the ball in hand, South Africa was often ineffective. The foundations of their attacking play were static and the All Blacks' defense was excellent in unpicking their strength at breakdowns and mauls.
The Springboks still were strong at set pieces from which they scored two tries in the second.
“We just weren’t up to scratch tonight,” Springboks captain Jesse Kriel said. “We made far too many handling errors and just things that weren’t up to standard for us.”
Hooker Malcolm Marx scored in the 62nd minute after a clean tighthead to a superior Springboks scrum. But the All Blacks scored their third try to center Quinn Tupaea when South Africa was a man short, with Kwagga Smith in the sin-bin.
Finally, Cobus Reinach scored from a five-meter scrum and when the Springboks still were down to 14 men, cutting the All Blacks margin with six minutes remaining.
The All Blacks have been brittle in these tight finishes in the recent past but on Saturday they were steely. The Springboks had a late attacking chance from a lineout with two minutes to play but Ardie Savea, in his 100th test, won a turnover.
One last possession for the Springboks and the All Blacks again won a turnover and ended the match.
“The game had everything it was built up to be,” New Zealand captain Scott Barrett said. “The Springboks are not world champs for no reason and they pushed us right to the end there.”
The Springboks’ blitz defense was disruptive at times but also narrow and congested. The All Blacks worked to move the ball wide quickly to exploit the thinner defense on the fringes.
That worked in only the second minute when Billy Proctor’s kick from center gave them field position. From a lineout following Cheslin Kolbe’s poor clearance, Beauden Barrett kicked wide and directly to winger Narawa who gathered, dummied fullback Willie le Roux and scored.
Narawa lasted only a few more minutes in his fourth test in three years, leaving the field with a rib injury. Damian McKenzie came off the bench, moving to fullback while Jordan moved to the wing.
In the 17th minute Beauden Barrett’s 50/22 gave the All Blacks the throw to a lineout deep in Springboks’ territory. Wallace Sititi took the ball off the back and handed off to Jordan who came from depth at pace and went straight through a hole in the Springboks’ defense.
Handre Pollard scored South Africa’s first points from a penalty in the 22nd minute but missed another three minutes later.
The Springboks didn’t create a clear try-scoring chance in the first half, despite a territorial advantage. Their kicking out of hand, even in the All Blacks’ half was often wasteful. They tried the midfield lineout once: the All Blacks quickly countered it.
The All Blacks led 14-3 at halftime and increased it to 17-3 with a Damian McKenzie penalty in the 50th minute.
South Africa finally found its way to the All Blacks’ line in the 62nd minute. First, a massive surge at a scrum gave the Springboks a clean tighthead. Fresh from the bench, Kwagga Smith took the ball forward and close to the Marx picked up the ball and forced his way over.
Smith was shown a yellow card in the 65th minute for a cynical infringement, stopping an All Blacks’ attacking meters out from the Springboks’ line.
The All Blacks stayed on attack, drew in the South African defense in the middle of the field, then went wide and replacement center Quinn Tupaea ran onto Beauden Barrett’s pass on a neat angle and scored.
Then Reinach’s try made the finish thrilling but the All Blacks held on in front of 48,000 fans.
Earlier Saturday, host Australia beat Argentina 28-24.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Damian McKenzie, left, of New Zealand and Cheslin Kolbe of South Africa compete for the ball during their rugby international at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Jordie Barrett of New Zealand run sat the defence during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Samisoni Taukei'aho of New Zealand runs at the defence during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Will Jordan of New Zealand scores a try during their rugby international against the Springboks at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
South Africa halfback Grant Williams is tackled by the All Blacks Simon Parker, right, during the rugby international between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Brett Phibbs/Photosport via AP)
HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number of forces pulled out of Europe.
The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump's initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America's commitment to Europe's security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO's eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer rotating into Poland from Germany. The dispatch to Germany of U.S. personnel trained to fire long-range missiles was also halted.
But in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he would now send "an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom Trump endorsed in elections last year.
“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters Friday at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ministers from the Netherlands and Norway were sanguine about Trump’s latest move, as was Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who said allies knew the U.S. troop “posture was being reconsidered, and now there is no change of posture. For now.”
U.S. defense officials also expressed confusion. “We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
But Rubio said Washington’s allies understand that changes in the U.S. troop presence in Europe will come as the Trump administration reevaluates its force needs. “I think there’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there has historically been for a variety of reasons,” he said.
The latest surprise came despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments, including one from NATO’s top military officer, U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, on Wednesday.
Trump's initial announcement that he would withdraw troops came as he fumed over remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in that war.
Trump told reporters that the U.S. would be cutting even more than 5,000 and also announced new tariffs on European cars. Germany is the continent’s biggest auto producer.
Rubio insisted that Trump’s decision “is not a punitive thing. It’s just something that’s ongoing.”
About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment on the continent unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.
The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.
But Trump's latest post suggests that troop numbers in Europe would not change. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed the decision to send more forces to his country, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the move. On Thursday, before Trump took to Truth Social again, Rutte had underlined that it was important for Europe to take care of its own security. “We have a process in place. This is normal business,” he told reporters.
At NATO headquarters in Brussels, meanwhile, U.S. officials briefed the allies on the Pentagon's aims for its commitments to the NATO Force Model, which involves contingency planning for Europe’s defense in the event of serious security concerns. It was widely expected that a further reduction of U.S. forces would be coming.
Asked whether any cuts were announced, Rutte said: “I’m afraid it’s much more complicated than that.” He said the procedure “is highly classified” and declined to give details.
Rubio played down concerns about a shift in U.S. force levels in Europe, saying: "Every country has to constantly reevaluate what their needs are, what their commitments are around the world, and how to properly structure that.”
Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with journalists during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, front left, speak with each other during a group photo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte look at each other as they deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže speaks at the doorstep of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at Sea U in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with his wife Jeanette at Malmo Airport, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Malmo-Sturup, Sweden, ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, second from left, shakes hands with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, as he is greeted by King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergard, right, before a dinner at Sofiero Castle in Helsingborg, Sweden, Thursday May 21 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)
