Four tries to zero. Tonight at Eden Park the Springbok myth ran into hard All Black reality. For the past 12 months there has been a sense that the second best team in the world was really the top side. But tonight the pretenders were completely outplayed by the number one-ranked side with the ABs winning 32 to 12.
The ABs dominated virtually every aspect of the game:
Scrums: All Blacks
Lineouts: All Blacks (3 against the throw!)
Mauls: All Blacks
Counter-attacks: All Blacks
Tries scored: All Blacks
Missed tackles: Springboks
It was a night of surprises: The great Pierre Spies was totally outclassed by his opposite, and occasionally pant-less Keiran Read. The journeyman Tom Donelly outplayed the legendary Victor Matfield. The NZ front row put the South Africans on the back foot all night long.
Who played well for the Boks? Zane Kirchner was always at the right place at the right time. Morne Steyn kept his side in the contest with four penalties, but it wasn’t enough. Habana put endless pressure on the NZ back three. Even Rickie Janurie put in a good effort in the first half.
And the rest? Well Bakkies was Bakkies and Butch was Butch. Both of them were oafish and unprofessional. Bakkies managed to play all of 12 minutes before being sin-binned and will probably receive a suspension for head-butting Jimmy Cowan from behind. John de Villiers should’ve stayed in Europe. During the post-match interview John Smit gave that smile we’ve seen many times before that seems to say, “just wait until next time.” It’s always next time.
Who played well for the ABs? Tom Donelly, Keven Mealamu, Mils Muliaina and Richie McCaw were outstanding, but my MVP was Kieran Read. His goofy smile belies a truly world-class competitor.
All week I had been saying to anyone who listened that the All Blacks were going to win this one easily. Local Aucklanders, long used to disappointment in their rugby, shook their heads with sad pessimism. “Oh no,” they said, “the SAFFAs are too strong.” They will now probably say a stung Springbok side will come out firing next week in Wellington. No doubt they will, but it won’t change a thing.
The All Blacks remain the number one side in world rugby by a margin equivalent to four unanswered tries.
Filed under: All Blacks, Boks, Graham Henry, Morne Steyn, Richie McCaw, rugby, South Africa, Springboks, Tri-Nations
