New Zealand 31 - 17 South Africa: All Blacks blitz the Boks

New Zealand produced another high-tempo, attack-minded performance yesterday to secure their second successive bonus-point win in the 2010 Tri-Nations with a 31-17 victory over South Africa at a sold-out Westpac Stadium.

Ma'a Nonu, Mils Muliaina, Rene Ranger and Israel Dagg all scored tries for the All Blacks, while fly-half Daniel Carter, who had a poor goalkicking performance in missing five attempts at goal, slotted two penalties and a conversion.

Piri Weepu also added a penalty for the home side, who had beaten the Springboks 32-12 in Auckland the week before with a similar high-octane game plan.

Danie Rossouw and Schalk Burger scored tries, while Morne Steyn added a penalty and two conversions for the world champions, who looked promising when they kept the ball in hand but had another poor tactical kicking game in the swirling wind.

The All Blacks again dominated the bigger South Africans and their aggressive defensive line turned back waves of Springboks attacks.

"What I'm pleased with is that the guys are prepared to have a go," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said.

"We're prepared to play rugby from a long way out and attack from inside our own half and that led to a couple of tries."

The Springboks, who had Bakkies Botha sinbinned early last week, again fell foul of the referee with Rossouw shown a yellow card by Irish official Alain Rolland in the fourth minute for flicking at the eye of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw while he was seated on the ground.

A melee broke out but Rolland had no qualms about pulling out the yellow card. Carter missed the kick for goal which resulted but the All Blacks struck at the drop out, when Read took good ball then flicked the ball to wing Cory Jane.

He linked inside to McCaw and from the ruck the ball was moved left where Nonu charged ahead after doubling around and scored in the seventh minute.

South Africa attempted to move the ball through the midfield but centre Jaque Fourie was tackled and the ball was kicked into half-back Weepu's hands. He found space down the centre of the field and then through a long pass to fullback Muliaina who was flying from 40m out and he headed the cover defence to put New Zealand 10-0 up after 11 minutes. Carter missed the conversions for both tries but slotted his first successful penalty in the 31st minute.

Rossouw made amends for his crimes when he barged over in the 37th minute. From a lineout, half-back Ricky Januarie sniped through a gap and then fed De Villiers into a gap and he raced into the goalmouth. From the ruck, Roussouw charged over close to the posts to score.Steyn converted to make it 13-7, before Carter missed another penalty into the swirling southerly wind in the final seconds before halftime.

The Springboks changed tactics in the second half as they battled into the wind, holding on to possession and hammering away down field before Steyn added an early penalty.

The All Blacks, however, struck back almost immediately, again attacking from deep and when a downfield kick was run back by Muliaina, Carter was able to kick high and then rucked ball was moved for Ranger to dive over in the corner. Weepu slotted a long-range penalty.

The home side were then forced to soak up immense pressure on their goal line but managed to keep the Springboks out before Dagg produced a mercurial run down the left touchline, turning four defenders inside out to score his first Test try. Carter slotted the conversion and added a penalty before Burger added a late consolation try for the Springboks, with Steyn converting to end the scoring.

"We didn't get quick ball when it counted when we were putting good phases together near the try line," Springboks captain John Smit said. "There were times when... it was slowed down somewhere and in the Tri-Nations you have to be right on the button... if you want to win."

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu (Aaron Cruden, 74th minute), Rene Ranger (Israel Dagg, 64th) Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu (Jimmy Cowan, 64th); Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain, Liam Messam, 76th), Jerome Kaino, Tom Donnelly (Sam Whitelock, 64th), Brad Thorn, Owen Franks (Ben Franks, 71st), Keven Mealamu (Corey Flynn, 76th), Tony Woodcock.

South Africa: Zane Kirchner, Jean de Villiers (Gio Aplon, 40th), Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Ricky Januarie (Ruan Pienaar, 55th); Pierre Spies (Ryan Kankowski, 70th), Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw (Andries Bekker, 55th), CJ van der Linde (BJ Botha, 40th), John Smit (captain, Chiliboy Ralepelle, 76th), Gurthro Steenkamp. Replacements not used: Butch James.

Scorers: New Zealand - Tries: Ma'a Nonu, Mils Muliaina, Rene Ranger, Israel Dagg; Conversion: Daniel Carter; Penalties: Carter (2), Piri Weepu. South Africa - Tries: Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger; Conversions: Morne Steyn (2); Penalty: Steyn.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).