Match Details
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21 |
Kick off times:
3:00pm
(Local) Sat 23 Jun
11:00pm
(AEST) Sat 23 Jun
|
26 |
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Two late tries have carried the All Blacks to a tough 26-21 victory over the Springboks in the Tri Nations Test at Durban on Saturday night.
Down 21-12, the All Blacks responded with tries to captain and flanker Richie McCaw and the second to wing Joe Rokocoko, a reward for tenacity, and superior fitness.
With South Africa playing an effective game of patience, the All Blacks committed many uncharacteristic unforced errors, but a decision to up the pace proved its worth as the Springboks struggled to handle the tempo.
The expected lineout disadvantage did not materialise and the All Blacks scrum was a vastly superior unit.
But it was the determination of the loose forwards that set up the recovery. No.8 Rodney So'oialo proved the spark with a magnificent run out of the All Blacks 22 that saw him race into the Springboks half. He passed to the fast following flanker Jerry Collins and from that point it was a case of All Blacks rampant.
The ball moved to the left corner and as the ball popped out of the back of a ruck it was a low-flying McCaw who scooped up the ball and drove over for a 68th minute try.
Three minutes later, Rokocoko ran the ball out of the All Blacks 22m and linked with replacement fullback Leon MacDonald, who kicked downfield. The ball was blocked but it arrived for Rokocoko to race away to score the match winner.
Throughout the first 68 minutes New Zealand didn't lack for opportunities but uncharacteristic handling problems, spread across the team, and disappointing ball security several times eased pressure on the South Africans.
South Africa opened the scoring when lock Troy Flavell was penalised at a ruck on the All Blacks line and fullback Percy Montgomery landed the goal. Halfback Ruan Pienaar extended the lead after 19 minutes when fullback Mils Muliaina didn't release the ball in a tackle 52m out from the line.
Flyhalf Dan Carter rewarded some better All Blacks build-up work by landing his first penalty goal after 29 minutes.
New Zealand, after some initial hesitancy and fumbled ball began to assert greater control with superior passing and driving especially among the forwards.
But again, 33 minutes into the half, the Springboks held onto the ball too long in the tackle and Carter had a chance but missed his third attempt.
Three minutes later, he was more successful from the right hand side of the field when lock Bakkies Botha was penalised at the ruck and the scorers were leveled.
The All Blacks looked to break out from their half in the last moments of the spell, but the ball was turned over and with a kick to the corner and a lineout, it was the South Africans who mauled their way to the line for flanker Schalk Burger to score for an 11-6 halftime lead.
The All Blacks immediately trimmed the lead after the re-start when inside centre Aaron Mauger calmly dropped a goal.
However, Mauger, two minutes later made a bad mistake after some clever work when a quick lineout was taken. Tackled in midfield, he threw a pass when lying flat on his back. But the ball went straight into the hands of Springboks No.10 Butch James, who raced 30m to score under the posts. Montgomery added the extras to make it 18-9.
South Africa rang the replacements and two of them were immediately involved in New Zealand's next scoring chance. Francois Steyn came on at first five-eighths and dropped his first pass resulting in a five-metre scrum to the All Blacks.
Moments later, Pedrie Wannenburg, who had replaced Bobby Skinstad, was sin-binned for a ruck infringement which saw Carter land his third penalty goal after 55 minutes to bring New Zealand within a converted try at 18-12.
Montgomery kicked a 66th minute penalty goal, but that merely served to inspire the All Blacks to greater heights as their fitness undid the home side.
New Zealand 26
Tries: McCaw, Rokocoko
Conversions: Carter 2
Penalties: Carter 3
Drop Goal: Mauger
South Africa 21
Tries: Burger, James
Conversions: Montgomery
Penalties: Montgomery 2, Pienaar
HT: 6-11
