Expatriate Borderers Finlay Christie and Wallace Sititi help New Zealand notch up their first victory against South Africa in five attempts
Expatriate Borderers Finlay Christie and Wallace Sititi helped New Zealand notch up their first victory against rugby world champions South Africa in five attempts at home at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.
Peebles-born scrum-half Christie, 29, played for the first 68 minutes of that 24-17 2025 Rugby Championship victory over the Springboks before being replaced by Kyle Preston.
No 8 Sititi, 23, formerly of Galashiels, was also given a starting place by All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson and went off on 73 minutes, with Du’Plessis Ariu Kirifi taking his place.
The hosts’ victory, their first against South Africa since one by 35-20 at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium in July 2023, extended their ongoing unbeaten run at Eden Park to 51 matches over the last 29 years.
The two teams play again in New Zealand in round five of the championship this coming Saturday at Wellington’s Sky Stadium, with kick-off at 8.05am.
Christie is now on 26 caps since 2021 and Samoan-born Sititi on 12 since last summer.
The All Blacks’ try-scorers at the weekend, in front of a crowd of 48,312, were Emoni Narawa, Will Jordan and Quinn Tupaea, with Damian McKenzie adding two conversions and a penalty and Jordie Barrett another conversion.
Malcolm Marx and Cobus Reinach scored tries for head coach Rassie Erasmus’s opposition, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting both and Handre Pollard kicking a penalty.
Scotland are due to play New Zealand later this year, at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday, November 8, with kick-off at 3.10pm.