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All Black Kieran Read off-loads the ball - Source: Photosport -
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The All Blacks have kept the intensity alive to defeat the Springboks 31-17 in the second Tri Nations Test of the 2010 season in Wellington tonight.
Again the Springboks were their own worst enemy with a needless first half sin-binning as the All Blacks made them pay with a two try blitz.
But this was always going to be the All Blacks' night. Despite an improved effort from the visitors, the All Blacks were well aware they needed to back-up last weeks win.
That ruthless Eden Park act was stimulated by external pressures but this week they had no such luxury. They had answered their critics in such resounding fashion seven days ago that they now needed to look within for motivation and from the outset they continued on their merry way.
Leading the way for the All Blacks was recalled halfback Piri Weepu, who quite possibly may have kept Jimmy Cowan on the bench for good, while Kieran Read led another impressive forward effort.
But in all truth they - again - all played well. If the Netherlands football team of the 70's gave the world 'total football' then this All Blacks side is totally the rugby equivalent.
The tempo Graham Henry's side plays with is a stunning advertisement for the game and another four try bonus point, against a world class defence, is testament to that fact.
Indeed the counter-attacking rugby, which led to the first half tries to Ma'a Nonu and Mils Muliaina, was impressive given the conditions at Westpac Stadium.
But it was the South Africans' indiscipline that yet again set the tone for the match. Last week it was bad boy Baakie's Botha who crippled his team in the first half with a needless sin binning and this week his replacement Danie Rossouw followed suit in dubious fashion.
A fired up Rossouw appeared to put his hand near All Blacks captain Ricie McCaw's face before dishing out a knee to the thigh in the opening minutes, an act in all seriousness which wouldn't have hurt his grandmother (or Cristaino Ronaldo) but in referee Allan Rolland's defence, McCaw was on the ground and essentially helpless.
Cue points. In the first instance, the ever-improving Read off-loaded to Cory Jane who fed a rampaging McCaw in a devastating 30 metre counter. From there the ball was swept to the other side of the wind swept Westpac Stadium for Nonu to crash over in the corner.
A few minutes later Weepu validated his starting presence with a play for the ages. The hometown half stepped through the South Africans' defence and cantered down field 30 metres before delivering a sweeping pass to Mils Muliaina who showed impressive pace to score in the corner. Even a 0/3 return from Daniel Carter couldn't take the gloss of this start.
Carter eventually found his kicking boots to extend the lead to 13-0 however a late first half try by Rossouw, after impressive lead-up from Ricky Januarie and Jean de Villiers gave the Springboks some hope.
Morne Steyn closed the gap just after half time with a straightforward penalty. However the rampaging Rene Ranger, who was true to his Jekyll and Hyde persona all night, extended the All Blacks' lead five minutes after the break to 18-10.
If that didn't effectively end the match as a contest then enter Israel Dagg. The young Hawke's Bay fullback came on with 20 minutes left and scored a try that had was reminiscent of a young Christian Cullen.
The 22-year-old skipped down the short side and evaded Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies and Zane Kirchner on his way to the individual try of the season.
A late try to Burger was some consolation for South Africa but they now face a difficult task to defend their Tri Nations title.
Since the Tri Nations became a six match series anything between 19-23 competitions points has been enough to claim the title, which means that just two mores wins for New Zealand in their four remaining matches could be enough for their 10th Southern Hemisphere title.
The Boks now play Australia in Brisbane next weekend while the All Blacks get their first shot at the Wallabies in Melbourne a week later.
New Zealand 31 (Ma'a Nonu try, Mils Muliaina
try, Rene Ranger try, Israel Dagg try; Daniel Carter 2 penalties, 1
conversion; Piri Weepu 1 penalty)
South Africa 17 (Danie Rossouw try, Schalk Burger
try; Morne Steyn 1 penalty, 2 conversion)
Halftime: New Zealand 10-7
