All Blacks fail to fire as Springboks clinch Tri-nations

Getty Images ©

The Springboks have clinched the 2009 Tri-nations with a 32-29 win over the All Blacks at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

The All Blacks needed to score at least four tries and win by more than seven points to ensure their title hopes stayed alive, but once Frans and Morne Steyn started kicking points from all over the park any hopes of doing so disappeared.

The home team failed to fire a single attacking shot in the first half and the 'Boks were able to build up a handy lead at the break.

The second period was better for the home team and they showed with ball in their hand they could be dangerous but the handling errors increased and made sure the four tries were always out of reach.

Despite trailing for most of the match the All Blacks came close to an unlikely win after a late try for captain Richie McCaw cut the lead to three points with 90 seconds left.

But Daniel Carter's cross kick as the hooter went was a tad too strong, the ball drifted into touch and the Springboks took the deserved win.

The loss means the All Blacks head into next week's test against Australia in Wellington with the prospect of finishing last in the Tri-nations.

But it looked like it might turn out differently when the All Blacks got the start they would have dreamed of.

Springbok captain John Smit was penalised for blocking on the opening kickoff and Carter converted from wide right.

But it was the Springboks who were first to threaten the line after a good period of drive and recycling but a penalty for not releasing eased the pressure for the hosts.

The South Africans levelled it up through a Frans Steyn penalty, the fullback landing it from over 60 metres, and then went into the lead with a second from just a couple of metres closer.

The Springboks scrum has been a focus this week after it was demolished by the Wallabies last week and the first scrum in the 14th minute immediately drew a penalty from referee Nigel Owens, Smit penalised for collapsing.

Morne Steyn then broke Carlos Spencer's record for most points in a Tri-nations competition with a drop-goal as the Springboks took advantage of possession in All Black territory once more.

And another example of the Springboks' impressive kicking game brought about the first try in the 20th minute.

A loose All Black lineout led to a huge up and under from Fourie du Preez and he challenged Joe Rokocoko for the ball in the air.

A knock-on handed possession back to the 'Boks and du Preez got the ball again and dived over for the try.

Morne Steyn converted as South Africa seized complete control.

With the home crowd shell-shocked Carter brought up his 900th test point with a penalty from wide left after Pierre Spies was pinged, but it was the Springboks who were looking more dangerous with the ball in hand.

Stephen Donald tried to replicate the visitor's kicking game with a high up-and-under, but it didn't go far enough and led to another penalty from his own half for Frans Steyn.

A shoulder charge on Bryan Habana from Kieran Read allowed Morne Steyn to convert another penalty for the South Africans but Carter cut the lead once more with his fourth.

Then with half-time beckoning the All Blacks twice chose to kick the ball near the Springboks' line, but both times the contact was too heavy and the chance was lost.

The second half almost started in the worst possible way for the home team when Sitiveni Sivivatu coughed up a high ball but accidental offside at the breakdown saved the All Blacks.

New Zealand finally got the ball in hand five minutes into the second half and made good ground against a scrambling Springbok defence.

But just when it looked like the 'Bok line may be breached Ma'a Nonu lost the ball in the tackle and it was cleared.

And it was deja vu just a couple of minutest later when Nonu made another brilliant break but once again coughed up the pill.

It then went from bad to worse for the All Blacks. Owen Franks and Donald were replaced but immediately the Springboks scored their second try.

A lineout was finally won by the home team but when Carter tried to find replacement Isaia Toeava in space intercept king Jean de Villiers grabbed the pass and had an easy run to the line. Morne Steyn converted.

But the capacity crown in Hamilton finally had something to cheer about in the 56th minute with the try that gave the All Blacks a sliver of a chance.

A tap penalty was taken quickly in the midfield and Toeava made a brilliant break down the left wing.

He drew the defence then found Sivivatu on the burst and the winger had enough strength to get over the line. Carter converted.

With the All Blacks desperate to cut the lead to under seven points McCaw called for a scrum rather than giving Carter an easy three points, but it backfired when the set-piece collapsed and referee Owens handed the South Africans the penalty.

Carter made amends a couple of minutes later from out front after an All Black turnover was cynically slowed down, but time was the enemy of the home team.

Steyn pushed the lead back out to double figures with just eight minutes left on the clock after Mils Muliaina was left stranded in his own twenty-two.

And more handling errors as the All Blacks pushed in the final few minutes to get back into the game looked like it had destroyed any chance of stealing the win.

With 90 seconds left on the clock a cross kick from Carter was brilliantly caught and planted by McCaw in the right corner to give the All Blacks the briefest of hopes.

Then right on the hooter the home side pushed once more, but Carter's final cross kick was too high and the ball drifted agonisingly over the heads of his team-mates.

That left the Springboks to celebrate a deserved Tri-nations title win and a clean-sweep of the tests against the All Blacks in 2009 as the home team's thoughts turned to avoiding finishing last.

New Zealand 29 (Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richie McCaw tries; Daniel Carter 5 pens, 2 con)
South Africa 32 (Fourie du Preez, Jean de Villiers tries; Frans Steyn 3 pens, Morne Steyn 2 pens, 2 cons, drop)

H/T: 12-22