After a frustrating and costly first half against the All Blacks in Auckland, the Springboks showed glimpses of what they can do when the intensity and execution clicked in the second. But Eden Park is unforgiving, and their mistakes were ruthlessly punished. While there are positives to build on, the defeat leaves plenty of questions for Rassie Erasmus and his coaching team to answer ahead of next week's rematch in Wellington.
With that in mind, here are five key takeaways from the disappointing defeat at Eden Park.
A massive missed opportunity
A glance at the 24-17 scoreline between South Africa and New Zealand at Eden Park suggests that, had the Boks taken more of their opportunities, this All Black side was there for the taking.
The South Africans definitely gained the upper hand in the second half, with their forwards starting to rumble and their backs looking more dangerous, but they had left themselves with just too much to do, and another crucial lapse in discipline led to what would turn out to be the All Blacks' winning try, so there's no escaping responsibility for this defeat.
A couple of key substitutions provided some much-needed spark, and they almost snatched a draw they probably didn't deserve, but when all is said and done, they weren't good enough on the night.
It's a massive missed opportunity, as they are unlikely to get a better chance to break their Eden Park hoodoo anytime soon, and it could have been so very different.
Basic skills and execution are becoming a problem
The Springboks may have never been the flashiest side in world rugby, but under Rassie Erasmus, they earned a reputation for punishing opponents with deadly efficiency, particularly from broken play or counter-attacks.
At the moment, however, the fundamental passing and handling skills needed to build an effective attacking platform are too often lacking, and the sheer number of unforced errors the Boks are committing are proving too much for the team to overcome.
Exactly what's causing this problem isn't entirely clear. The Springbok team has rarely been settled this season, which may be contributing to a lack of cohesion, while some players are being used out of position with mixed results.
The basic handling and execution simply wasn't up to snuff, even accounting for the wet conditions, and Erasmus and attack coach Tony Brown have work to do on this front to get the boys back to their best.
Were the Boks brave enough?
I'm not sure how many Bok fans were pleased to see Handre Pollard take two kicks at goal while the side was 0-14 down after a truly disastrous start. The moment seemed to call for a bit more bravery and self-belief - a signal that, despite taking a few heavy hits, the team was still standing and ready to go toe-to-toe with their opponents.
Maybe if both kicks had been sitters, the decision would have been justifiable, but the second one in particular was a tough ask in the conditions, knowing that a miss would be a huge let-off for the ABs.
In the end, after a poor start that cost them 14 points, the Boks emerged with just three points from their two best attacking opportunities of the match up to that point - though these would turn out to be just the first of many wasted chances on the night.
What has happened to the Springbok lineout?
That once-reliable cornerstone of the Bok team has suddenly become a liability, costing us crucial field possession time and time again. Each throw now feels like a roll of the dice - one where you don't particularly fancy the odds.
The constant failure of this crucial cog in the Bok machine is having a knock-on effect, spoiling some of the team's most reliable avenues of attack.
The form of Malcolm Marx since he has moved from the Bomb Squad and into the No 2 jersey is also a bit concerning, but maybe it's not fair to pin his drop in form on that decision. Marx's arrival in the second half used to be a real pain in opposition's sides, so it's sad to see him having such a diminished impact at present.
Changes in the starting lineup to come?
It's hard to imagine the coaches won't make some changes to the starting line-up ahead of next week's second Test in Wellington, as the first XV certainly failed to deliver in the opening 40 minutes at Eden Park.
It's difficult to single out one area where selection went wrong. Willie le Roux's lack of serious game time for the Boks was evident, while Grant Williams seemed to struggle under the weight of the occasion - but for the most part, it was a collective shortfall.
Some of the senior players may be approaching the end of their international careers, while in other cases, the younger players are still finding their feet at this level.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu showed glimpses of just how capable he is of sparking this Springbok side's attack when he entered the fray in the second half, and he may be the answer we need to unlock this Bok backline.
Jasper Wiese is set to return for next week's clash, meaning the Springbok back row will once again be at full strength, which should give Erasmus a bit more flexibility with his selections in the starting line-up and on the bench.
There's every reason to expect an improved showing next week, and the Boks will be desperate to deliver a stronger performance in the rematch.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said two costly early errors cost his team dearly and made it difficult to chase the game against the All Blacks in the wet conditions.
The Springboks brought their best too late as the All Blacks held on to secure a 24-17 victory and extend their 50-match unbeaten streak at Eden Park️.
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