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Match Report:
Another ill-disciplined All Blacks display contributed to successive losses to South Africa when the Investec Tri Nations match was lost 31–19 at Durban's Absa Stadium.
While the All Blacks contained some severe South African pressure with a fine defensive display, and scrummaged effectively, they undid much of that by conceding turnovers and penalties which were harshly punished on the scoreboard.
A record points-scoring performance by first five-eighths Morne Steyn, including eight penalty goals, a try and a conversion for a match haul of 31 points overtook Jannie de Beer's 22 points against the All Blacks in 1997 and created a Tri Nations record.
Down 13-22 at halftime, the All Blacks needed to start the second half well but poor passes, an unfortunate feature of the day, by wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and first five-eighths Stephen Donald respectively, put the side under pressure with only Springboks handling errors saving the day.
The All Blacks put pressure on themselves when ignoring the lore of not throwing deep to lineouts in their own 22m area, or running greasy ball out from in front of their own posts.
New Zealand appeared intent on maintaining its all-out attacking game. That was evident when they it a quick throw-in after 10 minutes and in its first foray it swept the length of the field. Initially flanker Richie McCaw charged downfield to set up quick ball which was moved to second five-eighths Ma'a Nonu who showed good speed on the break.
He passed to fullback Mils Muliaina who sped down the sideline and in-passed to Sivivatu. A ruck infield saw the ball moved back out through halfback Jimmy Cowan and flanker Jerome Kaino, with lock Isaac Ross lurking on the sideline along which he ran assuredly to score in the corner. Donald landed a fine conversion after recovering from a heavy knock in the first minute.
The All Blacks continued to mount long range attacks, largely through Nonu who enjoyed plenty of spaces. On one break Cowan was hit in a head high tackle by wing JP Pietersen and was sin-binned for Donald to kick the penalty goal.
But soon after Ross was deemed to have come from an offside position to kick the ball at a ruck, although it appeared the ball was out. He too, was sin-binned.
That proved costly when from a five-metre scrum which resulted after an amazing 70m touchfinder by fullback Francois Steyn, South Africa scored its only try of the game.
The All Blacks scrum, with Nonu packing on the blindside flank, disintegrated and halfback Fourie du Preez grabbed the ball to feed Morne Steyn in for a simple try.
Then after the halftime hooter, a kick downfield from an All Blacks breakdown saw Sivivatu knock on a desperation pass from centre Conrad Smith, and No.8 Rodney So'oialo played the ball from an offside position and Steyn completed a 22-point first half.
Having survived a torrid start to the second half the defensive reward for the All Blacks came when Sivivatu fielded a kick in the 22m and then broke out at speed. He found Muliaina flying outside him and Smith got the ball and kicked ahead. In a goalmouth scramble Bakkies Botha was penalised and sin-binned.
Luke McAlister replaced Donald after 61 minutes and his first act was to land a 55m penalty goal. But it was his long pass to So'oialo that created pressure for South Africa to apply after Weepu fired a long pass over the deadball line.
South Africa kept the All Blacks pinned in their own 22m area and with flanker Heinrich Roussow providing Richie McCaw with a genuine battle at the breakdown, there was no miracle recovery for the New Zealanders.
South Africa enjoyed a 72 percent possession advantage, and conceded only nine penalties to New Zealand's 13, nine of which resulted in penalty goal attempts for South Africa, eight of which were successful.
That summed up what has been a mistake-ridden South African excursion for the All Blacks.
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(30-40 min)
