OMEN
08-26-2006, 11:14 PM
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HAPPY MAN: Mils Muliaina celebrates after scoring a try against South Africa during their Tri-Nations match in Pretoria.
All Blacks 45 - South Africa 26
The All Blacks showed their class and depth of talent at Loftus Versfeld this morning with a 45-26 win over a Springbok team that must be close to one of South Africa's worst.
Graham Henry had made 11 changes for the Tri-Nations test and two first half injuries disrupted the All Blacks further.
But after taking most of the first half to find their feet, the ball and each other, what was a largely second string side won in a canter, the class of the All Blacks backs and pace of their game simply too much for South Africa.
It was the All Blacks 15th win in a row and their fourth at Loftus Versfeld, but more importantly for Henry it was his first test win in South Africa after his All Blacks lost in Cape Town last year and Johannesburg in 2004.
That loss at Ellis Park was the All Blacks last, and for a while it seemed Henry's losing run would continue as the All Blacks had a dreadful start when skipper Richie McCaw - who was targeted at the kick offs - dropped the first of the match.
South Africa won a penalty at the next ruck and fullback Percy Montgomery kicked it. Two minutes later first five-eighth Butch James added another from halfway.
Daniel Carter closed the gap with a penalty a few minutes later but sloppy work at the back of a ruck gifted a try to Springbok halfback Fourie du Preez in the eighth minute.
It was symbolic of the helter-skelter nature of the match as neither side's set pieces were reliable and both turned over a wealth of possession at the rucks.
Pressure was responsible for some of the turnovers but there was also some poor skills and dodgy ball protection on display by both teams.
The All Blacks scrambled their way back into the match despite losing fullback Leon MacDonald and prop Greg Somerville to injuries in the 11th and 15th minutes.
They scored a nifty try to prop Neemia Tialata from a perfect kick by Carter and would have scored two more had replacement Isaia Toeava's hands not let him down.
He dropped the ball over the line while trying to beat Akona Ndungane to one of Carter's chip kicks in the 21st minute and again with the line open in the 34th minute.
The All Blacks went into the break leading 16-11 after a whopping 61m penalty by Carter after the halftime hooter.
They extended their advantage soon after the break with another Carter penalty and though the gap was only eight points, the once raucous crowd was silent and sombre.
They had reason to be as the cracks in the 'Bok defence that were exposed in the first half suddenly became chasms.
The All Blacks scored three tries in 12 minutes with second five-eighth Luke MacAlister strolling over first, before wing Sitiveni Sivivatu soon marked his return when he scorched into the corner for his ninth try in his seventh test.
When Muliaina crossed a few minutes later from a move that started in the New Zealand 22 the crowd was booing a Springbok side whose heads were as low as the score was high.
The All Blacks had lost another player, No8 Chris Masoe, and were lucky lock Ali Williams wasn't sinbinned for punching his opposite Johann Muller, but this was clearly New Zealand's day.
Two tries by centre Jaque Fourie, one in the 65th minute and a superb one in the 71st, closed the gap, but it couldn't change the result a late try to wing Rico Gear confirmed.
All Blacks 45
Try: Neemia Tialata, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina, Rico Gear. Pens: Dan Carter 4. Cons: Carter 4
South Africa 26
Tries: Fourie du Preez 3. Pens: Percy Montgomery 2, Butch James. Con: Andre Pretorius.
-Fairfax
HAPPY MAN: Mils Muliaina celebrates after scoring a try against South Africa during their Tri-Nations match in Pretoria.
All Blacks 45 - South Africa 26
The All Blacks showed their class and depth of talent at Loftus Versfeld this morning with a 45-26 win over a Springbok team that must be close to one of South Africa's worst.
Graham Henry had made 11 changes for the Tri-Nations test and two first half injuries disrupted the All Blacks further.
But after taking most of the first half to find their feet, the ball and each other, what was a largely second string side won in a canter, the class of the All Blacks backs and pace of their game simply too much for South Africa.
It was the All Blacks 15th win in a row and their fourth at Loftus Versfeld, but more importantly for Henry it was his first test win in South Africa after his All Blacks lost in Cape Town last year and Johannesburg in 2004.
That loss at Ellis Park was the All Blacks last, and for a while it seemed Henry's losing run would continue as the All Blacks had a dreadful start when skipper Richie McCaw - who was targeted at the kick offs - dropped the first of the match.
South Africa won a penalty at the next ruck and fullback Percy Montgomery kicked it. Two minutes later first five-eighth Butch James added another from halfway.
Daniel Carter closed the gap with a penalty a few minutes later but sloppy work at the back of a ruck gifted a try to Springbok halfback Fourie du Preez in the eighth minute.
It was symbolic of the helter-skelter nature of the match as neither side's set pieces were reliable and both turned over a wealth of possession at the rucks.
Pressure was responsible for some of the turnovers but there was also some poor skills and dodgy ball protection on display by both teams.
The All Blacks scrambled their way back into the match despite losing fullback Leon MacDonald and prop Greg Somerville to injuries in the 11th and 15th minutes.
They scored a nifty try to prop Neemia Tialata from a perfect kick by Carter and would have scored two more had replacement Isaia Toeava's hands not let him down.
He dropped the ball over the line while trying to beat Akona Ndungane to one of Carter's chip kicks in the 21st minute and again with the line open in the 34th minute.
The All Blacks went into the break leading 16-11 after a whopping 61m penalty by Carter after the halftime hooter.
They extended their advantage soon after the break with another Carter penalty and though the gap was only eight points, the once raucous crowd was silent and sombre.
They had reason to be as the cracks in the 'Bok defence that were exposed in the first half suddenly became chasms.
The All Blacks scored three tries in 12 minutes with second five-eighth Luke MacAlister strolling over first, before wing Sitiveni Sivivatu soon marked his return when he scorched into the corner for his ninth try in his seventh test.
When Muliaina crossed a few minutes later from a move that started in the New Zealand 22 the crowd was booing a Springbok side whose heads were as low as the score was high.
The All Blacks had lost another player, No8 Chris Masoe, and were lucky lock Ali Williams wasn't sinbinned for punching his opposite Johann Muller, but this was clearly New Zealand's day.
Two tries by centre Jaque Fourie, one in the 65th minute and a superb one in the 71st, closed the gap, but it couldn't change the result a late try to wing Rico Gear confirmed.
All Blacks 45
Try: Neemia Tialata, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina, Rico Gear. Pens: Dan Carter 4. Cons: Carter 4
South Africa 26
Tries: Fourie du Preez 3. Pens: Percy Montgomery 2, Butch James. Con: Andre Pretorius.
-Fairfax