Tri-Nations match/New Zealand 32 South Africa 17: New Zealand assistant coach Steve Hansen said he was already excited about his side's Tri-Nations Test against Australia in Brisbane next Saturday.
The All Blacks, who beat the Wallabies 32-12 in Christchurch two weeks ago, overcame a committed, but one-dimensional, South Africa 35-17 in Wellington on Saturday, to head the Tri-Nations table on nine points.
The Wallabies thrashed the Springboks 49-0 in Brisbane last week and the manner in which they tore apart the vaunted South African rush defence should give them immense confidence against the All Blacks.
"It's going to be a big game," Hansen said yesterday. "I'm really looking forward to it. They are going to believe they're good enough to beat us and we believe we're good enough to beat them.
"You've got two sides going in there who are confident and believe in themselves and play a style of rugby which is conducive to people enjoying it."
Hansen said the All Blacks would travel to Australia without scrumhalf Piri Weepu, who has a knee injury, and centre Sam Tuitupou, who pulled a hamstring.
The side's rotational policy seemed to pay dividends in that Weepu and Tuitupou were the only two injury concerns, particularly given the confrontational nature of the Springboks at Wellington's Railyards Stadium.
"That's what you expect after a South African Test," Hansen said of the numerous All Blacks carrying visible bumps and bruises as they congregated in the lobby of the team's hotel.
"They were an embarrassed side a week ago and came out with a lot of physicality and passion."
Hansen said the Springboks' game plan had been pretty simple and they had fixed the timing of their defence, which had caused the All Blacks problems executing their own plans.
"They play a game that is based on you making mistakes and they jump on them. It might be boring to watch but it's effective," Hansen said of the Springboks tactics, adding he did not expect them to change tactics when the Tri-Nations competition moves to South Africa in late August. "It was still a scrappy game," he said. "Our execution in certain areas wasn't great but our composure and ability to get the job done in the end was pretty good.
Springboks coach Jake White said he felt his team could still win the expanded Tri-Nations, particularly with three home matches still to come.
"In 2004 we lost two games out here and ended up winning the Tri-Nations," White said.
South Africa scrumhalf Fourie Du Preez scored a first-minute try and provided a perfect cross-kick from a scrum to allow Breyton Paulse score another. Fullback Percy Montgomery added two conversions.
New Zealand outhalf Daniel Carter gave a perfect goal-kicking display with 25 points - taking his Test career total to 406 - and also set up both tries.
His vision and pace allowed him to size up opportunities on the short side as he accelerated into space and away from defenders to set up tries for scrumhalf Piri Weepu and captain Richie McCaw.
"I just continued with my three sessions last week in my week off and the same again this week," Carter said of his goalkicking after Saturday's win.
"I think it's really a matter of putting in the extra work and tonight was the reward for that hard work I had been putting in."
Scorers: New Zealand: Tries: P Weepu (40), R McCaw (76). Conversions: D Carter (40, 76) Penalty goals: Carter (5, 21, 26, 32, 43, 52,75). South Africa: Tries: F Du Preez (1), B Paulse (62) Conversions: P Montgomery (1, 62) Penalty goal: Montgomery (70).
NEW ZEALAND: MacDonald; Howlett, Muliaina, Tuitupou, Hamilton; Carter, Weepu; Tialata, Oliver, Hayman; Jack, Williams; Thorne, McCaw, So'oialo. Replacements: Hore, Somerville, Rawlinson, Masoe, Cowan, McAlister, Toeava.
SOUTH AFRICA: Montgomery; Paulse, Fourie, Olivier, Habana; James, du Preez; du Randt, Smit, van der Linde; van den Berg, Matfield; Tyibilika, Smith, Cronje. Replacements: Coetzee, Andrews, Muller, Januarie, Bosman, Pietersen, Van Niekerk.
