All Blacks: Excellent defence the turning point

Tony Woodcock of the All Blacks is tackled during the Tri-Nations match against the South African Springboks. Photo / Getty Images

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.

In the second half, they had a five minute spell with the score at 21-10 where they could have maybe found their way back in.

"It could have gone either way I thought," said All Black coach Graham Henry. "We defended superbly for about four or five minutes on the 60-minute mark and I think that was probably a turning point.

"I was also delighted with the way the players had a go; the way they expressed themselves. We played a lot of rugby from quite far out and it was pleasing to see the patience."

The Springboks had a similar view, although they did have some legitimate gripes about the leniency shown towards the All Blacks by referee Alain Rolland. Given that Danie Rossouw was carded without hesitation, Richie McCaw can count himself fortunate that he was spoken to three times in short succession for leaving his feet at the breakdown without more serious consequences.

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.

Captain John Smit was more forgiving and diplomatic. Asked if he was surprised McCaw hadn't been yellow carded, he replied: "If this was my first year playing against the All Blacks, I would have been surprised. But this is not my first year."