South Africa 30
New Zealand 28
KEY POINTS:
The drain of talent finally caught up with the All Blacks last night as they had to surrender their 30-game unbeaten run at home.
Their inexperience undid them, that, and a much-improved Springbok side that played with an accuracy and tactical acumen to match their physicality.
It's no consolation the All Blacks surrendered their record in a marvellous test that exhibited all that is good about rugby.
The Boks were worthy winners, having weathered an All Black onslaught throughout the second half. Their defence budged only once.
Even after the hooter the game was still frenetic with the All Blacks, having clearly learned the lessons of Cardiff, looking to drive into field goal territory.
They eventually did but the pass from Andy Ellis was high and laboured and Daniel Carter's kick was charged down. And that was it - the longest unbeaten run was over, killed by a spectacular solo try by Springbok halfback Ricky Januarie who took off up the middle when he realised the All Blacks weren't defending behind the ruck, chipped ahead, regathered and won the game.
It was a try against the run of play but the Boks' defensive investment, their patience and desire to play on the counter attack was always compelling.
For the All Blacks, the beginning of the end was the exit of Ali Williams after 27 minutes. The big lock was dazed and had aggravated his ankle injury leading to the uncapped Kevin O'Neill entering the fray. With Richie McCaw already injured, Brad Thorn suspended and Greg Somerville not selected there was a horrifying realisation that other than Rodney So'oialo and Tony Woodcock the All Black pack was full of test babies. The accumulated caps of John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson and Jerome Kaino wouldn't even make half the total of Springbok captain Victor Matfield.
For a nation of big game hunters, it was all too easy for the South Africans to smell blood. Matfield and Bakkies Botha ramped the pressure on the All Black throw and sent doubt raging through the home side.
The Springbok scrum, toasted last week, was steadier, even aggressive at times.
Half-time arrived as if it had spotted the All Blacks' distress signal and provided an opportunity for the coaches to remove the erratic Sitiveni Sivivatu who was being heavily targeted by the Springboks kickers.
Leon MacDonald came on at fullback and Mils Muliaina shifted to the wing and all of a sudden the All Blacks had more security at the back and a more reliable kicking game with which to return fire.
Nerves started to settle in the first 10 minutes of the second half and the forwards had obviously worked out at half-time that no one was going to miraculously appear from the stands to help them out.
It was up to them and they lifted the intensity. O'Neill gave it everything. Afoa stuck his head down and pushed when he had to and was a presence in the loose. The aggression and the power of the pick and drive work was better, there was more passing out of contact and more purpose, more direction. There needed to be because the Bok defence was impregnable until the 55th minute when Rudi Wulf did extraordinarily well to stay on his feet, veer inside and get his side behind the South African defence. Some slick inter-changing eventually saw Sione Lauaki blast the last 7m to score.
It felt at that point that the All Blacks were going to scrape in. They were dominating territory, controlling possession and Carter was exuding calm throughout.
When Matfield was yellow carded for a high shot with seven minutes remaining to allow Carter to make it 28-23, they were so close to safety.
Then Januarie did his thing and it was over. Graham Henry's young side just didn't have the knowledge or experience on closing out.
The defeat will hurt but it was not a night without hope for the All Blacks.
The silver lining was that they stuck in and competed for 40 minutes when they looked to be in real trouble coming into half-time.
But the loss of so many players in the last 18 months was going to have an effect at some stage.
