South Africa wins as indiscipline costs All Blacks

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South Africa has taken a decisive step towards the Tri-Nations title with a deserved 31-19 win over New Zealand in Durban this morning.

The All Blacks were left once more to rue lapses in judgement and poor indiscipline as Springboks' first five-eighth Morne Steyn landed a Tri-Nations record 32 points.

New Zealand's cause wasn't helped with a couple of terrible decisions by Welsh referee Nigel Owens who handed the Springboks the advantage at crucial times, but the game was there for the winning and the players only have themselves to blame.

At times the visitors were simply terrible under the high-ball, with winger Joe Rokocoko particularly culpable but South Africa had a clear game-plan and played to their strengths in the face of an opponent keen to run on any occasion.

South Africa will get a huge lift from the result after weathering a strong spell from the All Blacks in the middle of the first half and must now be considered favourites for the Tri-Nations title.

The All Blacks have been poor starters in recent times and it was no different at Absa Stadium as the Springboks poured forward in the opening stages.

A line-out five metres out was eventually gathered by New Zealand and Stephen Donald took a knee in the shoulder after Jimmy Cowan's clearance kick was charged down into the in-goal area.

Welsh referee Owens handed the home side a penalty in the fifth minute after Mils Muliaina was adjudged to have been holding on at the breakdown, but replays clearly showed the full-back was tackled in the air. But Morne Steyn didn't care, and he stepped up to open the scoring.

The All Blacks hit back immediately through the boot of Donald and then opened the try-count with a stunning end-to-end try.

Captain Richie McCaw made good ground from a lineout deep in the New Zealand twenty-two and, with the Springboks on the back foot, quick ball allowed Ma'a Nonu to burst into South African territory.

The All Blacks recycled the ball well and after Nonu's second burst infield created a decent blind-side the ball was worked left and young lock Isaac Ross popped up on the wing to score. Donald converted.

But just like last week the All Blacks were their own worst enemies and indiscipline in their own twenty-two gifted Morne Steyn two quick penalties and the lead was back to only a single point at the midway point of the half.

With South Africa content to kick the ball for territory, it was the visitors who were giving the pill some air, and a lucky break from a Donald clearance gave them space on the right wing.

Muliaina and Joe Rokocoko combined well to get deep into Springbok territory and when Cowan got the pass on the inside it looked like the All Blacks were going to score.

But a high hit from winger JP Pietersen halted the play and referee Owens was left with no alternative but to yellow-card the winger. Donald nailed the penalty from out front.

But the All Blacks weren't able to take advantage of the head-count advantage because a terrible decision from Owens landed Ross a ten-minute spell moments later.

The Springboks set up the ruck deep in the All Black half and Ross came around and kicked the ball back on his own side. The yellow-card was produced and Morne Steyn converted, but the ball was clearly out of the ruck and Ross can count himself unlucky he was forced to the sideline.

All the hard work was then undone when the Springboks took the lead just before half-time. An All Black five-metre scrum without Ross was put under pressure and Fourie du Preez stole the ball, although the replays showed the ball might still have been in the scrum when du Preez pounced.

He passed to Morne Steyn and he had all the space in Absa Stadium to score the try. The young first-five converted his own try and then finished the scoring for the home-team after the half-time hooter with a penalty after yet more All Blacks mistakes.

New Zealand went to the bench early in the second half as they looked to turn the tide, but they continued to make bad judgement calls in trying to run the ball from deep when a kick to touch would have been the better call.

Morne Steyn hit the post with a drop-goal attempt as the Springboks tried to make the territorial advantage count but it was the All Blacks who opened the scoring in the second period.

Sitiveni Sivivatu took the ball in his own twenty-two and went for a run. He created space on the right and when Conrad Smith got the ball the South African defence was left scrambling.

Smith chipped forward and almost regathered, but the retreating Springboks halted the advance, albeit illegally.

Bakkies Botha was given a 10-minute spell by Owens for never getting back onside and Donald landed the three-pointer.

Morne Steyn pushed the lead back out to nine points after McCaw was adjudged to have played the ball off his feet at the breakdown as the All Blacks once more failed to take advantage of greater numbers on the park.

Luke McAlister replaced Stephen Donald with 20 minutes to go and immediately landed a penalty from his own half after Springbok captain John Smit conceded a breakdown penalty.

The penalty pinball continued when Morne Steyn landed his seventh penalty to reinstate the nine-point lead and then the same player killed the game stone dead in the last 10 minutes with yet another three-pointer as the All Blacks wilted in the face of relentless pressure.

The game ended as Morne Steyn failed to land the perfect game, pushing a penalty wide of the right upright, but by then his place in the record books was already secure.

The All Blacks have three weeks to lick their wounds and prepare for a Sydney Test against the Wallabies, while South Africa hosts the Robbie Deans-led Australia next week in a match which will give a strong indication where the Tri-Nations title is headed.

South Africa 31 (Try: Morne Steyn Pen: Morne Steyn (8) Con: Morne Steyn)
New Zealand 19 (Try: Isaac Ross Pen: Stephen Donald (3), Luke McAlister Con: Donald)

H/T: 22-13