Tuesday, August 29 2006 17:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pretoria: Tri-Nations champions New Zealand runs in five tries to beat South Africa 45-26 in a southern hemisphere Tri-Nations match here Saturday (26 Aug, 2006).

The visitors lead 16-11 at the break and maintain their unbeaten run this year. It is the Springboks' fifth straight defeat.

Jake White's team have only managed one bonus point from their four outings in this year's competition. They face the champions in Rustenburg again next weekend before taking on Australia.

It is again a superb effort by the visitors with fly half Dan Carter again proving to be the Boks' nemesis.

"It wasn't a great start but we managed to put some points on the board in the second period and that was very pleasing," says the man of the match.

The home team has their moments, but they are never able to exert enough pressure on the New Zealanders to make an impact. They start well enough scoring two penalties inside the first three minutes.

All Black captain Richie McCaw fails to control the ball from the kickoff and when the Boks send it wide down the blindside the visitors are caught offside. Percy Montgomery makes no mistake with the shot at goal from 20 metres out.

Two minutes later Bok fly half Butch James makes it 6-0 when Neemia Tialata is penalised at the scrum.

Carter quickly reduces the deficit on six minutes, but only three minutes later the Boks finds some space down the blindside and when Piri Weepu fails to clear the ball at the ruck, his opposite Fourie du Preez picks up and runs in for the Boks' first try of the afternoon.

The champions then suffer a double blow when fullback Leon MacDonald and props Greg Somerville are forced to leave the field because of injury.

The changes, however, make no difference to the attacking style the visitors have adopted and it is not long before Carter knocked over his second penalty.

Then in the 32nd minute the All Black fly half show just why he is the world's best No 10 when a superbly weighted cross field kick into the in-goal area allowed Tialata to score his team's first try. Carter converts to put his side in the lead for the first time.

With the Boks starting to feel the pressure and conceding more and more penalties, Carter ends the first half in magical fashion with a 61m-penalty goal.

The visitors could have been even further ahead than their 16-11 lead had replacement Isaia Toeava not knocked the ball on inside the in-goal area when attempting to score in the 20th minute, although it must be said Bok winger Akona Ndungane does well to chase back and apply good pressure.

Toeava, however, has a much easier chance in the 32nd minute when after a break out by Rico Gear and Mils Muliaina he again fails to control the pass with the try line beckoning.

While the first half may have been a stop-start affair for the All Blacks, they come out after the break and ran riot.

Carter soon stretches his team's lead to 19-11 with another three-pointer before inside centre Luke McAlister finishes off a blistering All Black counterattack from deep inside their own half. Carter has no problem with the conversion. The Boks fight gamely, but their lack of penetration at the back, couples with indifferent handling and a tendency to kick good possession away cost them dearly.

The home side is also beaten at the breakdowns where McCaw again had a field day. The only department the Boks dominated is the lineout where Victor Matfield stands tall. Bok skipper John Smit is understandably disappointed in the performance. "We didn't hang on to the ball for long enough and it cost us," he says.

Montgomery adds a further three points, but it does little to dent the All Black attack, which is now running every ball, from every angle on the field.

Within two minutes midway through the second period, the visitors scores long-range efforts through winger Sitiveni Sivivatu, who coasts in from 40 metres after replacement Jerry Collins has taken a quick-tap penalty on the half-way line, and then Muliaina goes in after some sublime running off the ball by the New Zealand backs. The Boks though, despite being outplayed, at least finish well with two tries by Jaque Fourie, his second a wonderfully orchestrated try when he takes a short pass from Jean de Villiers and goes in under the uprights.

The Tri-Nations champions had the last say, however, when Gear goes in for his team's fifth try, after another long-range effort.

South Africa 26 New Zealand 45 (H-t: 11-16) Scorers South Africa: Tries - Jaque Fourie (2), Fourie du Preez. Conversion - Andre Pretorius. Penalties - Percy Montgomery (2), Butch James (1) New Zealand: Tries - Neemia Tialata, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina, Rico Gear. Conversions - Daniel Carter (4). Penalties - Carter (4)

Teams (15-1):

South Africa Percy Montgomery; Akona Ndungane, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Jacques Cronje, Pierre Spies, Solly Tyibilika; Victor Matfield, Johann Muller; CJ van der Linde John Smit (capt), Os du Randt

Replacements used: Chiliboy Ralepelle, BJ Botha, Albert van den Berg, Pedrie Wannenburg, Ruan Pienaar, Wynand Olivier, Andre Pretorius

New Zealand

Leon MacDonald; Rico Gear, Mils Muliaina, Luke McAlister, Sitiveni Sivivatu; Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu; Chris Masoe, Richie McCaw (capt), Reuben Thorne; Ali Williams, Greg Rawlinson; Greg Somerville, Anton Oliver, Neemia Tialata

Replacements used: Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Chris Jack, Jerry Collins, Jimmy Cowan, Sam Tuitupou, Isaia Toeava

Referee: Alan Lewis (IRL)

Touch judges: Hugh Watkins (WAL), Chris White (ENG)

TV match official: Eric Darriere (FRA)

Match assessor: Michel Lamoulie (FRA)

Attendance: 50,000