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Hello and welcome to our coverage of the second match of the 2009 Tri-Nations series - South Africa v New Zealand at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa. After last week's opening Bledisloe Cup encounter, we see the resuming of hostilities between two of world rugby's greatest rivals. At the end of last year's Tri Nations, South Africa suffered a humiliating 0-19 loss against the All Blacks in Cape Town, and the Springboks will be out for revenge.
After shaking off the test match rustiness last week, the All Blacks will be buoyed by the fact that they pulled out a win despite an unconvincing performance, likewise, the Springboks will be riding high after their series win against the British and Irish Lions, despite the fact that they too never truly played to their potential for long periods during the Tests.
South Africa can also look to the return of inspirational second-row Bakkies Botha after he was banned during the Lions series, but will still have to make do without one-time world player of the year Schalk Burger, the flanker still serving a eight-week ban for gouging.
For the All Blacks, they'll be relieved that their captain Richie McCaw made it through his first game back after injury and also welcome back Joe Rokocoko to wing who will be taking Cory Jane's No. 14 jersey.
Join us at 4pm BST (5pm local) for the blow by blow commentary of all the events from Bloemfontein
16:49 It's a beautiful sunny day here in Bloemfontein, one side of Free State Stadium stands is bathed in the evening sun, perfect conditions for some exciting running rugby. Here's hoping.
16:53 Captains Richie McCaw and John Smit have met in the tunnel for the coin toss and we're a just few moments away from the teams emerging
16:53 A truly deafening roar emerges from the crowd at Free State Stadium as John Smit leads the Spingboks out onto the field for the first time. The teams line up for the anthems.
17:01 After a rousing round of anthems, Piri Weepu will lead the All Blacks in the Haka. Never gets old does it? Hairs on the back of the neck stuff every time. The ABs stood and stared down this Springbok line for an awful long time there, so much intensity here already
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| 1 |
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Alain Rolland gives the signal and Pienaar gets us started with a long kick to the 22, which Leonard clears. Pienaar makes a half break at the 10m line and thats good work from So'oialo who forces the turnover and the ABs have a penalty for Springbok hands in the ruck.
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| 2 |
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Bad start from the New Zealand lineout as its overthrown just like last week. South Africa try to break from the 22 but Pienaar is hauled down and it's cleared to Sivivatu. He puts up the high one and de Villiers is penalised for stepping in front of the AB winger as he chases, that's a marginal call but probably fair. Donald will have a shot at goal from a way out.
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| 3 |
0 - 3 |
It's in front of the posts and Donald curls it inside to give the All Blacks the lead.
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| 4 |
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A quick kickoff from South Africa bounces into touch and there's a bit of handbag stuff between McCaw and Matfield. Decent throw from Hore this time and it's cleared deep and long. The clearance from South Africa looks to have been taken back in but apparently not and the lineout will be from about halfway.
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| 5 |
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Botha takes the ball and they look to maul, it's brought down but Thorn is penalised for not rolling away and the howitzer-booted Morne Steyn will have a crack at goal.
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| 6 |
3 - 3 |
That was a monster, from over halfway and out to the left, and it sails over with miles to spare.
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| 7 |
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The Springboks put it through the phases after the kickoff, de Villiers sees some space and kicks into it, but that's dreadful and it goes out the back of in goal, so we'll come all the way back to inside the South African half for the first scrum of the day.
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| 8 |
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Good scrum from New Zealand and Nonu batters through in midfield, there's a momentary overlap but nothing comes of it, and Leonard is penalised at the ruck for going in off his feet as it looks like the Boks have got the turnover anyway.
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| 9 |
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Another strong lineout to Matfield and the Springbok centres look to make inroads into the All Blacks half.
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| 10 |
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A high tackle on du Plessis gives the Springboks another shot at goal, Pienaar will take this one.
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| 11 |
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Oh dear that one hooks onto the posts and Isaac Ross puts up what can only be described as a outrageous kick, that is huge, going all the way back to the Bok 10m line. Great skills from the second row.
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| 12 |
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Rokocoko takes Habana's high kick well and the All Blacks look to break from their own half, but there's a handling error and the ball is spilled, Leonard gets to it, but he's penalised for being offside when the ball is played, penalty in front of the posts for South Africa.
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| 13 |
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Pienaar just loves those posts today, he's cracked another easy kick into one. The ball is cleared long and Richie McCaw is doing some fabulous work on the floor after the chase, earning his team a penalty just inside the Springbok half out wide on the left.
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| 14 |
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There's no wind today but looking at the last three kicks you wouldn't know it, Donald's kick falls short and Steyn sends up a huge kick to clear it.
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| 15 |
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Tialata is penalised for going in off his feet at the ruck and Allain Rolland will have a word with Richie McCaw about all these penalties for going in off their feet.
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| 16 |
6 - 3 |
The Springboks maul from the lineout and Woodcock is penalised for bringing it down just outside the 22. McCaw is given the final warning for his team's offences by the ref.
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| 17 |
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Which post will Pienaar go for this time? Oh look at that, it hooks a bit but he manages to sneak over. Huge grin on the face of the young fly-half after that.
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| 18 |
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Habana chases du Preez's kick and manages to knock it back to his side, but Mtawarira knocks it on as he fumbles for it. Great work from the Beast in the scrum now and the Boks get the free kick at the scrum.
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| 19 |
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Beast is getting involved here, dragging five ABs into the 22 as he's eventually brought down, but it's a knock on from Fourie as he attempts the switch in front of the posts 5m out. Rokocoko looks to counter but his kick on is poor.
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| 20 |
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The Springboks are having their way at the lineout here, Matfield and Botha are bossing it and New Zealand don't look close to upsetting it.
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| 21 |
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Another poor scrum from New Zealand gives South Africa a platform outside the All Black 22. The South African centres look to power through but the ball is lost forward. Muliaina scoops it up as the ball spills over the line, but that's great work from Fourie who forces the full-back backwards over his own try line.
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| 22 |
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It's a scrum five metres out for the Springboks and this is a real chance here for South Africa.
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| 23 |
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Spies tries to take it from the base of the scrum but McCaw gets to him and brings him down, there's an penalty coming for not binding, Boks playing the advantage. John Smit is held up just shy of the line and we'll come back for the penalty against So'oialo
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| 24 |
11 - 3 |
Another bruising run from Spies and he's pulled up just short of the line, it's shipped out de Villiers who looks sure to score until a magnificent tackle from Smith. But Pienaar is there in support and de Villiers pops it up to the fly-half and there's no one outside, he dives over in the corner for the first try of the day.
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| 25 |
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Pienaar's wide conversion is wide of the posts.
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| 26 |
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Here comes the Al Blacks response, good lineout work and they start to make inroads into the Springbok half.
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| 27 |
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Strong defence from South Africa shackling the All Blacks backline well and they aren't going anywhere.
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| 28 |
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Great work from Broussow on the floor as he dispossesses Donald, but as he looks to break he loses it forward and Sivivatu can scoop it up, New Zealand scrum on the South Africa 10 metre line.
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| 29 |
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Shaky scrum from New Zealand but they secure it, but the ball is lost in the tackle as Spies rips it clear. Pienaar puts up a beautifully weighted kick which dribbles out just shy of the All Black try line.
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| 30 |
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Steyn comes into the line and the golden-locked full-back nearly breaks through the line. There's an overlap on the left and South Africa go that way but to no avail, Pienaar attempts a drop-goal but it's wide.
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| 31 |
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Storming run from Botha up the tryline from the kick, and South Africa burst into the 22, it's shipped wide, and New Zealand are penalised for being offside in front of the posts. Pienaar is down injured so Steyn will take the kick.
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| 32 |
14 - 3 |
Pienaar looks in bad shape, but Steyn makes no mistake with the easy kick.
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| 33 |
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Pienaar is back on his feet but he looks in a lot of pain as he clears the kickoff to touch.
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| 34 |
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Another dodgy throw from Hore gives de Villiers the chance to break. New Zealand look to counter from the long kick, but Sivivatu knocks it into touch in the tackle. Really sloppy from the All Blacks so far.
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| 35 |
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du Preez ships it out to de Villiers and they try to pound it down the 10 channel, they're really targeting Donald. But its a penalty just inside their own half for South Africa going in off their feet.
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| 36 |
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Good lineout from New Zealand and Matfield is penalised for knocking the ball on. Good scrum but as it's shipped out, de Villiers pops up and intercepts it, he's soon marshalled but it's another wasted chance.
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| 37 |
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The ball is kicked long by South Africa and Muliaina looks to counter but the chase gets to him, the ball is shipped out but Botha does a great job wrapping up the man and the All Blacks are penalised outside their 22 for not releasing.
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| 38 |
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Pienaar seems to be fine as he's taken the kick, but maybe not as he misses yet another easy penalty.
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| 39 |
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A deft chip from Leonard let's Nonu take it on and the All Blacks are starting to fizz here. Ross keeps his feet on the touchline to keep the ball alive and the ABs look to break.
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| 40 |
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The ball is recycled and the hooter blows. Sivivatu makes a scything break into the 22 on the left hand side, but Pietersen does a great job in defence and makes the tackle, he's isolated and the Springboks secure the ball and put it in touch to end the half.
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The Springboks will be fairly pleased with that half, they were dominant in every single area, but they left a whole lot of kicked points on the field, and given the lesson Australia learned last week, they could regret that. For the All Blacks it was a disjointed and sloppy performance, making all sorts of uncharacteristic mistakes - if anything they were worse than last week. Once again the lineout was awful and was shown up even more by the imperiousness of Botha and Matfield. Graham Henry is probably stripping paint off the walls of the visitors dressing room right now.
Morne Steyn comes on for Pienaar, looks like that injury was worse than he thought
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| 40 |
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Donald gets us underway and du Preez clears to Rokocoko who makes a good take and the Abs look to attack inside their own halfway line. Slow ball leads to Donald putting up a nice up and under, but Smith is penalised for being ahead of the kicker and we'll have a kickable penalty.
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| 41 |
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New man Morne Steyn will take the kick and the South African fans are voicing their approval.
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| 42 |
17 - 3 |
That's more like it, long, straight and it sails over the posts.
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| 43 |
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Nice chase from Pietersen who challenges and nearly frees F Steyn who's come into the line, he kicks on but he can't get there in time and knocks it on just outside the All Blacks five metre line
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| 44 |
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A well contested scrum there, but the ABs just get it and clear. Sivivatu stops Pietersen from countering and the Springboks will have to start from halfway. Quickfire turnovers here, Nonu picks it up and ships it out, the ball makes it to So'Ioalo and John Smit looks to have ripped it, but it's judged to be a knock on
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| 45 |
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Good scrum from the All Blacks and they look to push up into the Sprinbok's half.
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| 46 |
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Donald makes a break but there's no one in support, he could get isolated but the cavalry arrives just in time and South Africa are penalised, its a scrum.
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| 47 |
17 - 8 |
Good scrum from the All Blacks, it's shipped out to Smith who cuts inside and ghosts through the defence, he's nearly at the line before Steyn arrives, he hands him off and drags Peitersen over the line for the score. Fabulous solo try from the man they call 'The Snake'
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| 48 |
17 - 10 |
No mistake from Donald there and New Zealand are back in this
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| 49 |
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Lookiing to hit back South Africa rumble up to the All Blacks 10m line but this time the Kiwi defence is smothering and they're going backwards.
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| 50 |
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Nice turnover there from McCaw and the All Blacks can counter, Sivivatu is in space on the left hand touchline, he's marshalled by South Africa. Jean de Villiers rips is clear, but he's then penalised for holding on and it's a penalty just inside the Springbok half
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| 51 |
17 - 13 |
Beautiful straight, low kick from Donald as it powers over from the left hand touchline. There's a real shift of momentum here.
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| 52 |
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The kickoff is cleared to touch and South Africa look to maul the lineout and establish some dominance again.
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| 53 |
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It's not going anywhere and du Preez sends up a huge high kick. Habana chases well and forces Rokocoko to knock on. Good field position for the Boks here.
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| 54 |
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Solid scrum from the Boks and Habana comes into midfield and powers inside the 22. It's out wide and slowed down but they're making real inroads here.
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| 55 |
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Good defence from the ABs, the ball is sent back to Steyn who's in the pocket, but the defence is up quick and he can't get the kick off
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| 56 |
20 - 13 |
Botha is hauled down but he pops the ball up to Steyn, who runs into space. The defence is up quick but that's a silly hands on the floor penalty in front of the posts which Steyn just squeaks over
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| 57 |
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du Plessis fields the kickoff and all of a sudden he's in acres of space with no support. The hooker beautifully weights a kick on and it bounces into touch inside the All Blacks 22.
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| 58 |
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Poor clearance kick from Donald who puts it straight to the dangerous South African midfield, but Fourie is so surprised by this that he knocks it on. That's a real let off for New Zealand.
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| 59 |
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Another series of dodgy kicks from Donald give South Africa the chance to counter but the ball pops out on the All Blacks side at the ruck. Sivivatu looks to break but he's quickly marshalled and turns it over.
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| 60 |
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Kaino turns the ball over at the scrum and breaks upfield to the 22 before cover can get there. The ABs recycle the ball as they look for an opening.
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| 61 |
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SIdeways stuff from the Abs at the moment, a half break from Sivivatu being the only geain of ground to take them into the 22.
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| 62 |
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A nice run down the side from Woodcock edges the All Blacks closer. Rokocoko comes off his wing to get involved and he's brought down, Rolland shouts to du Plessis to get his hands out but he's not listening and it's a penalty five metres out to the All Blacks.
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| 63 |
20 - 16 |
Donald will go for the posts, that's a big shout at this stage, but he makes no mistake with it and there's just four points in it.
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| 64 |
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Good chase of the kickoff from South Africa and Weepu's kick up is well chased by Rokocoko who wraps up Spies and bundles him in to touch.
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| 65 |
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Good lineout from the All Blacks but it's knocked on at the ruck and South Africa will have the linout just beyond the All Blacks 10 metre line.
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| 66 |
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du Preez atempts an audacious cross-field kick but Muliaina gets there. Sadly for the full-back touch judge Nigel Owens says he stepped into touch. What's this? A poor lineout from South Africa and the All Blacks can clear to Steyn who attempts a very ambitious beyond half-way drop-goal.
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| 67 |
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Great work from the Springbok back row who snaffle the ball on half way and unleashes the centres who scythe through, Spies is brought down and du Preez gathers the ball, but knocks on as he attempts the grubber. Bad news for the Boks as Jean de Villiers is going off, looks in a lot of discomfort.
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| 68 |
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Matfield steals a All Blacks lineout on halfway, but the kick is easily fielded by Rokocoko. A nice territorial kick by Donald which bobbles about and Habana's clearance is short, to the groans of the Bok fans.
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| 69 |
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Better lineout from New Zealand and they look to maul it forward. Shipped out to the backs and they're inside the 22.
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| 70 |
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Good defence from the Boks, New Zealand aren't going anywhere
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| 71 |
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Poor pass from Weepu and it's hacked on by Steyn, the ball is gathered and passed to Fourie, who runs it in, showing great pace, from 30 metres out. Great try
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| 72 |
25 - 16 |
The extras are missed by Steyn.
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| 73 |
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The All Blacks don't know when they're buried and continue to fight. They earn a penalty just inside the 10m line in front of the posts, this will take them back in to bonus point territory.
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| 74 |
25 - 19 |
No messing from Donald he's been metronomic today.
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| 75 |
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Nice chase from Habana from the kickoff putting the ABs under pressure, but Mealamu does well and Weepu can clear.
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| 76 |
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South Africa try to maul the lineout and kill sometime and they're making big ground here, up to halfway, and Eaton is stupidly penalised for coming in at the side, Morne Steyn will kick the penalty.
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| 77 |
28 - 19 |
It's 55 metres out here and that's a monster kick, who says that Francois is the one with the monster boot?
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| 78 |
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Surely that's it, the All Blacks are just looking to squeak back a bonus point. Good maul from South Africa but it fractures and they're lucky to get the scrum.
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| 79 |
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It's all about time wasting for South Africa now, just looking to close it out by keeping it tight. Solid Scrum and Spies makes a nice run off the base. The backs aren't going to get anywhere near this.
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| 80 |
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Januarie passes it back to Steyn who's in the pocket, the fly-half runs towards the touchline and the unconvincingly grubbers it in to touch. But South Africa don't care as the Springboks get their 2009 Tri-Nations underway in the best fashion.
18:43 Well, South Africa will feel they should have won that by a whole lot more - they missed five kicks at goal and that will irritate Peter de Villiers. But beyond that they looked dominant at times and did a great job closing the game out for their first win of the campaign. For the All Blacks it was another unconvincing display, where they undid themselves with sloppy handling and a lack of creativity. Stephen Donald's kicking was solid, but his defence was poor, and you get the feeling that Graham Henry is counting down the days until Dan Carter can don the black shirt again. Thanks for joining us and we hope to see you at the same time next week, when we'll be doing this fixture all over again in Durban.
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