General view of the Westpac Stadium during the Tri-Nations match between the New Zealand All Blacks and South African Springboks at the Westpac Stadium on July 17, 2010 in Wellington, New Zealand.
(July 16, 2010 -All Photos by Marty Melville/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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Flawless All Blacks do it again
New Zealand repeated their heroics of last week's Tri-Nations opener with another polished performance to beat South Africa 31-17 at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.
South Africa now limp across the Tasman to Australia pointless and seemingly bereft of ideas after another mauling by a highly-motivated All Blacks side whose superior inventiveness, precision and individual class was a joy to watch.
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Kevin Mealamu of the All Blacks is tackled by BJ Botha
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All Blacks take charge as Boks lack spark
By Richard Loe
The All Blacks went very, very well. They did well enough at the set pieces without dominating but their speed around the field, their work at the breakdown, their go-forward and their quick ball meant the Boks were out-manoeuvred and outpaced.
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For the All Blacks, I thought Richie McCaw and Kieran Read were immense. They are hunting as a pair and are a real force now, along with Jerome Kaino. That's as good a loose forward trio, working as a team, as you could find.
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Richie McCaw of the All Blacks tramples over Ryan Kankowski
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All Blacks: Excellent defence the turning point
By Gregor Paul
Five minutes of brutal defence midway through the second half won last night's test for the All Blacks.
That, and their ability to play rugby from deep inside their own half. It was a fascinating game employed by the All Blacks that they took kickoffs and hit them up through the forwards again, then again, before looking to move wider on the third recycle.
They found space as a result and the Springboks couldn't put them under any pressure inside their own half. The Boks found themselves back in their own half in a flash, breathing hard and wondering how they would get the ball again.
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In his usual cryptic, difficult to decipher way, South African coach Peter de Villiers seemed to suggest he needed to encourage his players to cheat in future if they are to close the gap.
That seemed to be his interpretation of the critical difference of the two teams - as if he was oblivious to the yawning skills gap.
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Bok coach lashes out at refs
But De Villiers was clearly not happy with the way his side had been hammered in the two Tests which were controlled by northern hemisphere referees.
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Kieran Read of the All Blacks comes up against Gurthro Steenkamp
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Fielding the best team each week paying off
By Sean Fitzpatrick
I know Graham Henry didn't think this All Black performance was as good as last week - but I did.
The Springboks put the All Blacks under more pressure this week - at lineout and at scrum - and they still delivered.
The Boks were surprised in the first test. They knew what was coming this time. They still couldn't handle it.
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That's where the All Blacks were superior. They were better and smarter at getting the ball over the advantage line - whereas the Boks just kept banging it up the old No 1 channel; and got crushed.
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Francois Louw of the Springboks is hit hard by Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith
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Tackles and turnovers the key
All Black captain Richie McCaw said he was "proud" of his team for backing up two weeks in a row, after they handed the Springboks another bonus-point hiding on Saturday.
"It is always easy to put one performance out there," he said of last week's 32-12 victory in Auckland, adding: "But to back it up is great."
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next test:
Australia v S.Africa
July 24
Brisbane
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