She was pleased with the response from her two defensive combinations as Casey Kopua and Leana de Bruin set a high standard for the second-half pairing of Katrina Grant and Phoenix Karaka to match.
"We got 25 gains in the first half and about the same in the second, which was basically double than that of the first game, so I was much happier," said Taumaunu.
The circle defenders also benefited from a more committed defensive effort further up the court, forcing the South African midcourt of Erin Burger and Bongiwe Msomi to work the ball around, which created more opportunities to pick up turnovers.
By halftime, every Silver Fern had at least one defensive gain to their name as a result of the full court pressure. However, they didn't always make the most of their opportunities, with some wobbly early shooting from Bailey Mes and a high turnover count restricting New Zealand's lead to 15-8 at the first break.
They picked up their act in the second period, finding better fluency in their through court play, while Maria Tutaia, who returned to the Ferns' starting line-up last night after her late scratching from Sunday's match with a minor ankle injury, sparked to life with some brilliant long-range shooting.
Despite some shaky moments, Taumaunu said she has been happy with the growth of her attacking line-up over the series.
"I think we're letting the ball go, looking forward a lot more and checking the circle. It's been a long time since they've played like that, so there's a lot of enjoyment running around in the attack end."
With the match the Ferns' last official outing before they meet Barbados in the World Cup opener next Friday, Taumaunu took the opportunity to ring in the changes in the second half, testing new combinations in each area of the court.
Shannon Francois took the court in place of Grace Rasmussen at wing attack, while Jodi Brown replaced Tutaia at goal attack to form a previously unseen forward line, and Grant and Karaka got their opportunity to impress in the defensive circle.
It took the Ferns some time to adjust to the changes on court, as South Africa pushed them hard through the early stages of the spell but as the quarter wore on, the Ferns settled into a more consistent rhythm on attack to hold a commanding 48-24 lead heading into the final turn.
Leading by the same margin in which the Ferns won Sunday's opening clash, Taumaunu was comfortable enough to introduce young shooter Malia Paseka in the final quarter for just her second test cap.
It proved to be the Ferns' strongest quarter, with the homeside outscoring the Proteas 19-4.
3 Talking points
1. Defence strong
Unhappy with their defensive effort in their first game, the Ferns responded with a much more committed through-court effort.
2. Tutaia at best
Maria Tutaia was back in the starting line-up and back to her influential best, converting 15 of her 17 attempts - many from range - in her 30 minutes on court.
3. Farewell gift
The post-match formalities included a special on-court tribute for the Silver Ferns before they head off to the World Cup in Sydney. Each member of the 12-strong team was presented with a farewell gift from a young fan.
