Peter Bills: All Blacks fire warning to world
New Zealand 32
South Africa 12
Sunday July 11 2010
A world-champion performance, but not from the reigning world champions.
The Springboks found themselves swept away by the power, pace and continuity of the New Zealanders at the partly reconstructed Eden Park ground in Auckland yesterday.
Victory by four tries to nil, which also clinched an extra bonus point, gave the All Blacks a flying start to this year's Tri-Nations competition, posted a siren warning to world rugby and perhaps put Ireland's woes in New Zealand last month into a wider context.
When New Zealand play like this, as they also did against France in Marseille last November, no team in the world can hold them. Their work with the ball among both forwards and backs, even at close quarters under heavy pressure, was outstanding. Beyond dispute, it was the best rugby performance of 2010 to date.
The Springboks did not help themselves, with lock Bakkies Botha being sin-binned for an early offence by referee Alan Lewis. But the Irish official and his colleagues had already missed a wild, nasty head-butt by Botha on All Blacks scrum-half Jimmy Cowan in the second minute, for which he was later cited. Another lengthy suspension looms for the Boks' enforcer.
In Botha's absence, New Zealand established a 10-3 lead chiefly through Conrad Smith's brilliant 18th-minute try, started thrillingly with a terrific counter-attack out of defence by Mils Muliaina, who had a magnificent game.
The sheer pace and verve of the All Blacks was too much for their old foes. Gaining supremacy in the set scrums and snatching three of the Springboks' own line-outs, New Zealand took charge. Further continuity, pace and movement plus rapidly recycled ball from the breakdown, enabled Ma'a Nonu to add a second try by the break.
New Zealand led 20-3 at half-time but briefly went off the boil, Morne Steyn landing two more penalties to cut the lead. But it was a temporary blip. No 8 Kieran Read smashed through a couple of tackles for a third try on the hour and prop Tony Woodcock got the important fourth just before the end.
"It's been a long time since we have had as good a performance as that over the full 80 minutes," said captain Richie McCaw. "That is the benchmark now. But I think the motivation and desire to win was strong after our three defeats by South Africa last year. We had waited 12 months for this chance and we took it."
Springbok captain John Smit did not attempt to defend Bakkies Botha, saying: "I don't approve of any play that is outside the rules. The All Blacks were really good, they played with pace and were better than us in every facet. It was a poor display."
Scorers -- New Zealand: Carter 2 pens, 3 cons; Smith, Nonu, Read, Woodcock try each South Africa: Steyn 4 pens.
New Zealand: M Muliaina; C Jane, C Smith, M Nonu, J Rokocoko (R Kahui 57); D Carter, J Cowan (P Weepu 54); K Read, R McCaw, J Kaino (L Messam 74), T Donnelly (S Whitelock 72), B Thorn, O Franks (B Franks 64), K Mealamu (C Flynn 78), T Woodcock.
South Africa: Z Kirchner; J De Villiers, J Fourie, W Olivier (G Aplon 72), B Habana; M Steyn (B James 71), R Januarie (R Pienaar 74); P Spies, F Louw (D Rossouw 51), S Burger, V Matfield, B Botha (A Bekker 51), J Du Plessis (BJ Botha 58), J Smit (C Ralepelle 72), G Steenkamp.
Referee: A Lewis (Ireland)
- Peter Bills in Auckland
Originally published in
