All Blacks: Penalty paid for lack of discipline

Bryan Habana of South Africa and Joe Rokocoko challenge for a high ball in yesterday's test in Bloemfontein. Photo / Getty Images

Leading into yesterday's Tri-Nations rugby test, the All Blacks set a target of not conceding more than 10 penalties.

When seven were whistled in the opening half-hour, it was a goal they were never going to meet and it proved decisive in the 28-19 loss to South Africa.

Discipline was a key difference between the teams, with some serious introspection likely within the New Zealand camp over why they earned the wrath of Irish referee Alain Rolland.

They didn't pay a big price initially as wayward first five-eighths Ruan Pienaar missed four shots at goal but the sheer weight of nine total penalty attempts allowed Francois and Morne Steyn to knock over five between them.

All Black captain Richie McCaw reckoned the Springboks' pressure manifested itself in desperate acts from his team.

"We didn't want to give away penalties, because it's three points, especially here with their big kickers, or they attack from the lineout," McCaw said.

"It was pretty disappointing, the discipline in the first half, that kept letting the Boks off the hook. That's something we're going to have to address.

"When you're under a bit of pressure and you're trying to force that turnover, you haven't got the momentum so it's easier to be wrong there."

McCaw's captaincy counterpart, John Smit, agreed, regretting Pienaar's inability to make it count further.

"I think we were accurate in areas, especially in their half, that forced them into overstepping the mark ... it would have been nice just to convert all of them," he said. "One area that helped us was our discipline.

"There was none of the shenanigans that have been part and parcel of the last few [British and Irish Lions] tests. It was just a nice hard test, playing on the ball, smashing each other."

Rolland was harsh on the All Black players either not rolling away from the tackle or losing their feet at the breakdown.

Hooker Andrew Hore typically blamed himself, believing he did not roll away when he should have on at least two occasions.

"That's something you can't hide from. Once you're there you've got to get out of the way and I was guilty of giving a couple of those away," he said.

The referee at Durban will be Welshman Nigel Owens.

Meanwhile, indiscipline reared its head in other areas of the New Zealand game, with players producing some brain-bending blunders.

Halfback Brendon Leonard's lack of recent rugby was cruelly exposed with some poor passing options, while the booby prize must go to giant prop Neemia Tialata, whose botched quick drop out led to a Springbok penalty.

NZPA