New Zealand are back in business, big time, overwhelming South Africa 26-15 in a high-action international at Eden Park. Their victory ensures the Tri-Nations championship will go right to the wire in Sydney.
With the "new chums" Byron Kelleher, Andrew Mehrtens, Chris Jack and Leon MacDonald all excelling, the All Blacks dominated virtually throughout, scoring the game's only two tries, one brilliantly taken by Pita Alatini, the other a penalty try awarded for an early tackle on Leon MacDonald.
Once again, the All Blacks kept the Springboks try-less, the visitors' only points coming courtesy of the deadly accurate boot of Braam van Straaten.
The Springboks haven't won at Eden Park since 1937 and never at any stage looked like improving that record, even though they trailed only 9-13 at halftime.
South Africa came close to salvaging a bonus point in the dying moments, but the knock-ons that had plagued the team, of a ball made slippery by rain which fell for much of the game, denied it even that satisfaction.
And so the Harry Viljoen's Boks are fated to finish last in the 2001 Tri-Nations championship, even though they did not lose to the world champion Wallabies.
The All Blacks demonstrated an energy, resourcefulness and inventiveness that was grossly absent from their play against the Wallabies at Carisbrook.
They took the game dynamically to the South Africans, clearing the ball efficiently from the breakdown zones, where they'd been so inept in Dunedin, and utilising it enthusiasm and enterprise along the backline. Where at Dunedin they'd played largely by numbers, demonstrating a reluctance to counter-attack, here they swung into sevens mode at times, running everything back at the Springboks with gusto.
Had the rain, which cruelly returned just prior to kick-off, not made the ball so slippery, almost certainly New Zealand would have scored more tries.
Jonah Lomu missed a sitter in the fifth minute when he failed to control Ron Cribb's infield pass with the goalline at his mercy. And several times in the second half, as New Zealand came at South Africa in waves, tries seemed inevitable until a mix of fumbles combined with desperate defence terminated the thrusts.
New Zealand has been a gloomy country since the All Blacks' loss in Dunedin, but there will be a spring in the Kiwis' step after this magnificent revival.
The selectors gambled on six changes, and they all paid off. Kelleher had a blinder at halfback and Mehrtens, benefiting from his rocket service, controlled play superbly from first-five. His giant passes repeatedly set the threequarters attacking.
Jack was a human dynamo from the opening seconds and MacDonald, who alternated with Mehrtens between fullback and first-five, was among the best attackers on the field.
Troy Flavell was a rich success as a blindside flanker, running like an extra back for much of the game.
Alatini was elusive and snaked through for the opening try while Tana Umaga ran with thrust and Lomu enjoyed a 100 per cent more involvement than at Carisbrook.
The All Black scrum was solid and the line-out generally sound.
The Springboks never got out of second gear, being on the back foot throughout, save for the final couple of minutes when the game was out of reach.
Locks Victor Matfield and Mark Andrews battled honestly and the front rowers were competitive but in almost every other phase of play the Springboks were overshadowed.
Perhaps the massive effort they'd put in at Perth had sapped their energy. Or maybe it was simply the Eden Park bogey striking again.
Man of the match: All Black halfback Byron Kelleher has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and grabbed it spectacularly. He cleared the ball beautifully, probed the gaps and pressured both his opposite Joost van der Westhuizen and fullback Conrad Jantjes throughout. It could be a while before Justin Marshall sees the No.9 Test jersey again. Other strong contenders for the award were Chris Jack and Andrew Mehrtens.
Moment of the Match: Springbok hooker Lukas van Biljon's early tackle on Leon MacDonald that led to referee Peter Marshall awarding the All Blacks a penalty try in the 55th minute. It pushed New Zealand out to 26-9, sinking South Africa's hopes of a comeback.
Villain of the Match: A few contenders, for there were several punch-ups and some crude rucking, but no one received either a yellow or red card.
The Teams:
New Zealand: 1 Greg Somerville, 2 Anton Oliver (c), 3 Carl Hoeft, 4 Chris Jack, 5 Norm Maxwell, 6 Troy Flavell, 7 Taine Randell, 8 Ron Cribb, 9 Byron Kelleher, 10 Andrew Mehrtens, 11 Jonah Lomu, 12 Pita Alatini, 13 Tana Umaga, 14 Jeff Wilson, 15 Leon MacDonald
Reserves: Carl Hayman, Marty Holah, Mark Cooksley
Unused: Doug Howlett, Tony Brown, Mark Hammett, Justin Marshall, Penalty Try
South Africa: 1 Robbie Kempson, 2 Lukas Van Biljon, 3 Cobus Visagie, 4 Victor Matfield, 5 Mark Andrews, 6 Andre Venter, 7 Andre Vos, 8 Bobby Skinstad (c), 9 Joost Van Der Westhuizen, 10 Butch James, 11 Dean Hall, 12 Andre Snyman, 13 Braam Van Straaten, 14 Breyton Paulse, 15 Conrad Jantjes
Reserves: John Smit, Deon Kayser, Ollie Le Roux, Albert Van Den Bergh, Joe Van Niekerk
Unused: Neil De Kock, Thinus Delport
Attendance: 45000
Referee: Marshall p.
Points Scorers:
New Zealand
Tries: Alatini P.F. 1, Penalty Try 1
Conv: Mehrtens A.P. 2
Pen K.: Mehrtens A.P. 4
South Africa
Pen K.: Van Straaten A.J.J. 5
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