If the exciting opening game between host Japan and Russia set the ball rolling for a new era of rugby union in Asia, the marquee game of this year's Rugby World Cup was scheduled on the very second day of the six-week long tournament when two-time defending champions, the All Blacks, launched their campaign against their perennial nemesis, the Springboks, at the home of Japan's rugby, Yokohama, with a hard-fought win. 

Kieran Read's side, who lost their number one status recently and also failed to win the Investec Rugby Championship this year, staved off a spirited South African side to begin their title-defense with a 23-13 win at the Yokohama International Stadium on a super Saturday of World Rugby.

Earlier, the Springboks, who dramatically drew the only Test played between the two archrivals this year in the ABs backyard, kick-started the game with three points in the very first minute of the game thanks to a Handre Pollard penalty from the halfway line of the field. 

However, Pollard's ever-dependable accuracy was, for once, off the mark from a closer distance as the Boks missed an easy opportunity to go ahead. That miss probably motivated his rival side to claw their way back into the game as the reassuring ABs gradually took the control of the proceedings for the first time after the first 20 minutes. 

First came a score-equaling penalty by ABs number 10 Richie Mo'unga before ABs George Bridge drew the first blood with the first try of the intense contest. Regaining their sublime form and reigning supreme, Steve Hansen's boys turned the screw in the next 10 minutes as Scott Barrett grabbed the second try of the game with a cool-headed Mo'unga getting both the conversions right through the posts. 

The ABs went 17-3 up into the break as their dominance kept the pressure on Rassie Erasmus's redoubtable side even though the South Africans tried to seize some key moments in order to cut the deficit.

But halftime came as a big energy booster for the Siya Colisi-led side as they came out firing on all cylinders. 

After Cheslin Kolbe came agonizingly closer to scoring a try, Pieter Steph du Toit made a brilliant touchdown to give the much-need first try of the game for the South African side. 

A pollard conversion was followed as the Boks threw down the gauntlet at their fancied rivals in the second half. The South Africans continued to push hard and left no stone unturned as a breathtaking Pollard drop goal brought them further closer to their opponent's slender lead. 

The game was seemingly tilting toward the Boks but a pin-pointed Mo'unga penalty from an acute angle and another one by the poster boy of NZ rugby, Beauden Barrett, from the halfway line took some pressure off. The game went down to the wire in the final 10 minutes as the battle of the power-packed scrums, tough tackles and swift offloads turned more intense and nail-biting.

But in the end, there was one winner and destiny's choice was quite obvious. The South Africans showcased a strong rugby display but the winner of the night was a much superior side. The well-oiled All Blacks juggernaut started rolling toward the Webb Ellis Trophy with their winning start in the city where rugby was first played in Japan in the 19th century.