Kiwis 33-6 SA

The All Blacks did beat us but they did not look invincible.

The Kiwi’s took 69 minutes to score a try on Saturday against a Springboks team lacking 20 top players. The All Blacks scored 21 points in the last 11 minutes to give their Tri-Nations victory.

The victory moved New Zealand into a tie for first place with Australia. The two teams meet in the final game of the tournament next Saturday in Auckland.
Until the 69th minute, when the substitute scrum half Brendon Leonard scored a dashing try, the All Blacks had stumbled to a 12-6 lead, due entirely to the goal-kicking of Daniel Carter.

Carter, the fly half, finished with 23 points, including a try in stoppage time, but even his form was not that great which is making the Kiwis nervous.
Late substitutions spurred a charge that restored New Zealand's ascendancy after it fumbled and faffed against a really weak South African team that produced determined but unremarkable defence.

The All Blacks problem is that they have only one more test match - against Australia - before the World Cup starts in France in September. It is likely that few All Blacks will play another match before the world cup kicks off.
Carter remains below par, He was reluctant to attack the Springbok line and preferred to kick the ball, even in promising attacking positions and would have easily added another ten points to the result.

Who knows we might have a realistic chance for this world cup.



South African Rugby homepage