South Africa 31 New Zealand 19:NEW ZEALAND'S captain Richie McCaw has expressed concern over his team's tactics after their defeat by South Africa in Durban on Saturday. The 31-19 loss followed a 28-19 reverse in Bloemfontein a week earlier.
McCaw’s comments contrasted with those made by Graham Henry after the match. The All Blacks head coach had defended the decision to favour attack with the ball in hand.
“The pressure got on top of us and we made vital mistakes, as we did last week,” said McCaw.
“I guess that’s a bit disappointing. You just can’t afford to do that if you want to win a Test. They (South Africa) have got guys right across the back line who can kick a ball and they kicked really well. When you get pinned in your own half and try and play a bit much rugby there you’re forced into a mistake, and that’s either three points or the pressure builds. That’s what happened.”
The Springboks outhalf, Morne Steyn, kicked eight penalties and converted his own try. The All Blacks also scored one try, through the lock forward Isaac Ross.
New Zealand’s fullback Mils Muliaina echoed his captain when he said: “They camped out in our 22 and we kept making mistakes. The harder we tried, the more we turned the ball over. We tried to be a little expansive but the conditions probably didn’t allow us to do that. We made silly mistakes and we were back down the other end. That’s the disappointing part.”
Henry added: “We tried to play a certain game and just didn’t execute as well as we had hoped, which is a sign of the pressure we were under. We had no platform from the set pieces and it is difficult living off crumbs.
“We played the right way, we just didn’t execute properly. It was the right style against this team, even though some of it was pretty high-risk.”
South Africa, who lead the Tri-Nations with two wins from two matches, play Australia in Cape Town on Saturday. New Zealand, who beat the Wallabies in Auckland in the tournament’s first match, face their neighbours again in Sydney on August 22nd.
Steyn’s haul beat Andrew Mehrtens’s previous record of 29 points for New Zealand against Australia in Auckland in 1999.
South Africa’s victory is the first time the Springboks have beaten the All Blacks on successive weekends since 1976.
The Springboks led 22-13 at the break, with the All Blacks scoring a try through lock Isaac Ross. The other 14 New Zealand points came via the boot, with outhalf Stephen Donald kicking three penalties and a conversion, and his replacement, Luke McAlister adding a penalty.
The home side made their tactics obvious from the start, Steyn, fullback Francois Steyn and scrumhalf Fourie du Preez launching a string of pinpoint up-and-unders.
By contrast, the All Blacks showed their intentions to run the ball at all costs and, after Morne Steyn and Donald had traded penalties, the visitors showed how dangerous they could be with the opening try in the 12th minute.
A quick lineout throw five metres from their own tryline and breaks by centre Conrad Smith and flank Richie McCaw saw the All Blacks enter the Springbok 22 with dazzling speed and verve. The defence was outnumbered and the overlap was duly worked to send Ross diving over in the corner.
Donald kicked the conversion and the All Blacks had a 10-3 lead. But the All Blacks were once again hard hit at the breakdowns and the high-risk ploy of running from deep in their own territory gave the Springboks the penalty opportunities which Steyn took so emphatically.
The 25-year-old kicked penalties in the 15th, 17th and 31st minutes before grabbing his five-pointer with three minutes remaining in the first half. A powerful Springbok scrum turned over possession and Du Preez was quick to pounce, making a dart and then feeding Steyn, who eluded two tacklers to score.
Donald, meanwhile, added a 28th-minute penalty while Springbok wing JP Pietersen was in the sin bin for a high tackle. Ross was yellow-carded three minutes later for blatant offsides at a ruck.
Steyn was on target with another penalty on the half-time hooter to send the Springboks happily into the break.
The South Africans once again had the All Blacks’ lineout under pressure and the better of the breakdowns, and used this as a platform to keep New Zealand pinned in their own half and under almost constant pressure.
The penalties had to come and Steyn duly kicked them over, adding three-pointers in the 57th, 65th and 74th minutes. McAlister added a penalty in the 61st minute. That brought the All Blacks back to 25-19 but South Africa upped their intensity to close out the match 31-19.
SOUTH AFRICA: F Steyn; JP Pietersen, J Fourie (W Olivier 77), J de Villiers (A Jacobs 71), B Habana; M Steyn, F du Preez (E Januarie 77); T Mtawarira, B du Plessis (C Ralepelle 79), J Smit (17-Jannie du Plessis 77), B Botha (A Bekker 77), V Matfield, H Brussow, J Smith (D Rossouw 66), P Spies.
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; J Rokocoko, C Smith, M Nonu, S Sivivatu; S Donald (L McAlister 61), J Cowan (P Weepu 44); T Woodcock, A Hore (K Mealamu 44), O Franks, B Thorn, I Ross, J Kaino (K Read 60), R McCaw, R So’oialo.
Referee: N Owens (WRFU).
