Springboks beat All Blacks in thriller

CAPE TOWN - South Africa beat the All Blacks 22-16 in a pulsating encounter at Newlands this morning.  

The Springboks head the Tri-Nations table with two wins out of two following last week's victory over Australia.

The home side began the match at an electrifying pace and were 13-0 ahead after just 10 minutes but the All Blacks clawed back to trail by just three points at the break.  

Both sides scored a single try through centre Jean de Villiers and right wing Rico Gear.  

The match was decided amongst the forwards where Springbok locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha were imperious in the lineouts.  

Fullback Percy Montgomery kicked four penalties and a conversion for a total of 14 points while first five-eighths Andre Pretorius kicked a drop goal.  

Daniel Carter landed three penalties, the last of which reduced the deficit to six points with seven minutes remaining. 

The result helped the Springboks to secure only their third victory in eight attempts against the All Blacks at Newlands and the first since 1976.  

Montgomery opened the scoring with a long range penalty in the third minute and Pretorius added a drop goal five minutes later. 

De Villiers scored an intercept try two minutes after that and with the All Blacks 13-0 down, a capacity crowd of 49,118 was close to delirious.  

Worse was to come for the All Blacks when wobbly halfback Byron Kelleher, who had been heavily flattened by Matfield in the first few minutes of the game, was substituted moments after providing the pass for De Villiers to run 60 metres for his try.  

But the visitors slowly worked their way back into the game and a Daniel Carter penalty opened their account. Following an attack of lightning speed, flanker Jerry Collins provided the scoring pass to an unchallenged Gear. 

Carter's second penalty levelled the scores at 13-13 in the 27th minute and the All Blacks enjoyed a period of dominant possession until four minutes before the halftime break. 

Montgomery again punished an under-pressure All Black pack with a penalty that gave the Springboks a 16-13 interval lead.  

Two further Montgomery penalties in the first 13 minutes of the second half, against flanker Richie McCaw for foraging on the ground and the scrum for deliberately wheeling, opened up a nine point lead. 

The home side replaced terrier-like halfback Ricky Januarie with the more defensively orientated Fourie du Preez in a move to protect their lead.  

The All Blacks, who thrashed the British and Irish Lions 3-0 just few weeks ago, failed to handle the pressure and responded with a string of mistakes, notably from fullback Leon MacDonald, left wing Mils Muliaina and centre Aaron Mauger.  

After a dismal start to their campaign, the All Blacks will be looking for an improved performance when they face Australia in Sydney next Saturday. 

- REUTERS