TWICKENHAM -- All Blacks back-rower Jerome Kaino has paid tribute to his team-mates after they again managed to navigate a yellow card period without the scoreboard being adversely affected.

Kaino was sin-binned in the 39th minute of New Zealand's 20-18 Rugby World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa, the back-rower forced to sweat it out on the sidelines for the opening minutes of the second stanza after a cynical off-side infringement forced referee Jerome Garces' hand.

Springboks fly-half Handre Pollard kicked a penalty immediately after Kaino's sin-binning but that was all the points the Springboks could manage during their one-man advantage; a penalty Dan Carter cancelled out in the 45th minute via a classy drop goal.

"I couldn't help myself when the ball came out; I tried to avoid it but managed to kick it," Kaino said. "You know I thought the boys started well but we were own worst enemy with our discipline at times.

"It was really tough watching the boys go about their work, but I thought the boys did really well and Dan getting the drop kick. You know you try and plan for things like that when someone's in the bin. But it's not a good thing when it's yourself who's in the bin."

New Zealand's Jerome Kaino evaded Lood De Jager to score the opening try of the game © Getty Images

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Pollard's penalty just before the break saw the Springboks take a 12-7 lead into half-time despite just a 35- and 28% share of possession and territory, respectively.

After Kaino scored the All Blacks' first try in just the fifth minute of the match, the defending champions were guilty of kicking too much attacking ball away in the face of some resilient Springboks defence and a determined breakdown effort.

Kaino said the half-time message, before the All Blacks returned to the Twickenham turf to run through some handling drills a few minutes before the resumption, was largely about remaining patient and showing a greater respect for the ball.

"The coaches speak and the leadership group speak; at half-time it was mainly just about our discipline, our skill level and really holding onto the ball," he said. "And I'm glad the boys did that in the second half.

"It was really calm, it wasn't too frantic. We'd had a lot of possession and territory in that first half and we were our own worst enemies by giving away penalties and at set-piece as well." Kaino and the All Blacks now have the chance to become the first nation to defend the Webb Ellis Trophy.

Australia fell at the final hurdle in 2003 while England suffered the same fate as defending champions in 2007.

"I think we need to step up, whoever we play in the final will lift their game as well," he said. "So regardless of how well we know each other with Argentinians or the Wallabies, they'll lift their game a huge amount when it comes to the final."