Daniel Carter scored 25 points, atoning for a costly error in the opening minute with a perfect kicking record on Saturday to give New Zealand a 35-17 win over South Africa in a Tri-Nations rugby Test.
South Africa’s humiliating 49-0 loss to Australia last weekend faded to dim memory when scrumhalf Fourie du Preez put the Springboks ahead after 20 seconds with a try from his charge down of Carter’s casual clearing kick.
Carter looked to stroke the ball to touch from the first ruck of the match but Du Preez blocked his kick and inexpertly but successfully controlled the bounce in-goal to give the Springboks a windfall 7-0 lead after Percy Montgomery’s conversion.
The fortunes of Carter and the Springboks deviated from that point as New Zealand, at first clumsily but with growing confidence, asserted the command expected of them.
Carter kicked nine goals from nine attempts — seven penalties and two conversions — and had a hand in the All Blacks’ two tries, scored in either half by Piri Weepu and Richie McCaw.
The brilliant flyhalf first pecked at South Africa’s lead with penalties in the fourth and 20th minutes, gave the All Blacks the lead with his third goal in the 24th minute and enlarged the advantage with a fourth penalty seven minutes later.
He then set up and converted New Zealand’s only first-half try, scored by scrumhalf Weepu, to send the All Blacks to halftime with a comfortable 19-7 lead.
Carter’s fifth and sixth penalties, in the second and 11th minutes of the second half, gave New Zealand a 25-7 lead before winger Breyton Paulse scored a try for South Africa which challenged the All Blacks’ dominance.
Montgomery converted and added a penalty which cut the lead to 25-17 but Carter eased the All Blacks to a larger advantage with his seventh penalty, then laid on the try to McCaw which made their win deceptively comfortable.
South Africa’s resolute performance was well ahead of last week’s match in Brisbane.
The All Blacks, in contrast, fell well short of the standard they set in beating Australia 32-12 in the first match of this season’s Tri-Nations tournament two weeks ago. Their forward play lacked thrust or cohesion and their backplay, outside the dominating Carter, was unconvincing, disrupted by South Africa’s rushing defence.
Weepu’s try was laid on by Carter, who retrieved du Preez’ misplaced kick — a blemish on the scrumhalf’s otherwise superb performance — and ignited a counterattack down the left-wing touch.
He linked with Mils Muliaina who in turn moved the ball infield to winger Scott Hamilton.
Hamilton threw a wild pass beyond McCaw but Weepu recovered it and used all his strength to drive 15m through dense defence to score.
Carter also turned on McCaw’s try near full time, kicking ahead and retrieving his chipped kick, extending the defence then turning the ball infield to the All Blacks captain who drove over. – Sapa-AP