After two average performances against Argentina and Australia, the Springboks took their game to another level to beat the New Zealand at the Wespac Stadium.
KweséESPN looks at how the Springboks rated individually following their shock Rugby Championship win over the All Blacks in Wellington.
Willie le Roux 8/10
The Springboks' fullback couldn't catch a cold in Brisbane, but he was on fire in Wellington. He set up Aphiwe Dyantyi's first try with a brilliant pass and then pounced on the loose ball to score, following a quick lineout from the All Blacks. Loses a point because of the yellow card.
Jesse Kriel 7
Kriel, who played only his second Test on the wing for the Boks, put on an industrious display. He looked for work and was a willing ball-carrier. He defended well and had some good moments on attack.
Lukhanyo Am 7
The All Blacks' first try wasn't really his fault, because he found himself out of position after being treated for an injury. Made a few top hits in the middle of the park, but didn't get a lot of chances on attack before he was replaced at the break.
Damian de Allende 7
De Allende's injury will be a big concern for Erasmus after he played some of the best rugby in quite some time while on the park. He carried the ball strongly, but also guarded that inside channel like a prison warder and kept Beauden Barrett locked up in a cell.
Aphiwe Dyantyi 9
Deadly, absolutely deadly. The Springboks have found the heir to Bryan Habana's throne. In fact, he is already looking comfortable on it. His two finishes as well as his kick-chasing and defending were amazing. This kid is going to be a superstar.
Handré Pollard 8
The Bulls flyhalf needed a big performance and he hardly put a foot wrong in the victory. His goalkicking was better, while his relieving kicks also gave the Boks some breathing room. He also looked at home at inside centre following De Allende's departure.
Faf de Klerk 9
The feisty scrumhalf has produced a couple of inconsistent displays since making his return to the Springboks against England in June. However, he was at his best in Wellington, harassing his All Black counterpart all night and taking the right options on attack.
Warren Whiteley 8
Whiteley had come in for a lot of criticism over the last few weeks for his perceived lack of physicality, especially in the absence of the big bruiser Duane Vermeulen. However, there was nothing wrong with his stopping power in Wellington, while his work rate was off the charts.
Pieter-Steph du Toit 9
His tears at the end of the match were testimony to not only how much the win meant, but also to how much effort it required to achieve it. Du Toit was simply immense, as he tackled, carried and tackled some more throughout the match. Priceless performance.
Siya Kolisi (captain) 8
The Bok captain left it all on the field. You could see that he actually had nothing more to give. But what he contributed on the field was leading by example in the physical stakes. He was also rewarded for his decision to take a lineout after Malcolm Marx scored.
Franco Mostert 7
Work rate was again the standout factor of his play, but he also played a vital part in the Springboks' lineout effort. The Boks' set pieces haven't been great over the last while, but their lineout was a key weapon against the All Blacks.
Eben Etzebeth 7
The Bok enforcer actually didn't have his best game, although it was the type of fixture that would have got his blood pumping. It seems like he is still hungover from that ill-advised 80 minutes in Durban against Argentina in his first match back following an eight-month layoff. However, he still made some tasty hits and carried well.
Frans Malherbe 8
Malherbe is another player who came into the Test match under a cloud following average performances in Mendoza and Brisbane. He is also still trying to find his feet after a long-term injury, but yesterday he looked like the Frans Malherbe of old. He will probably be talking about his break down the middle, which eventually led to a Dyantyi try, for some time to come.
Malcolm Marx 8
Marx had another big performance against the All Blacks. His power on the run and on defence was of the usual high standard, but his lineout throwing had also much improved from the previous week. Showed immense power to score his try.
Steven Kitshoff 9
The loosehead prop looks like he has relegated veteran Tendai Mtawarira to the bench with his fiery displays. Kitshoff is one of the best props in the world at the moment, as he can scrum, handle the ball and tackle anything that moves. What a player.
Notable substitutes
Cheslin Kolbe 9
Kolbe replaced Am after half-time and scored a brilliant intercept try that gave the Springboks some breathing room. However, it was his stopping of Rieko Ioane that saved a try and contributed to the Springboks' win.
Elton Jantjies 8
Slotted in at flyhalf after Pollard moved into inside centre, following De Allende's injury. Set Malherbe free with a wonderful offload in heavy traffic, before playing another big hand in the lead-up to Dyantyi's second try.
RG Snyman 7
The big lock came on and won some crucial lineouts for the Springboks, while he was also all over the park in terms of his carrying and tackling. Loses a point for conceding a silly penalty, which could have cost the Boks dearly.
Tendai Mtawarira 8
The Beast had to contend with some pressure scrums on the Boks' line when he replaced Kitshoff. And the veteran Bok prop stood firm in the face of some unbelievable pressure. Could he become the Boks' finisher in the front row with his experience?