THE Eden Park jinx continues for the Springboks.
THE Eden Park jinx continues for the Springboks.
Having last won there in 1937, the visiting Boks again succumbed 34-12 to the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations opener at at the temple of New Zealand rugby on Saturday.
The All Blacks' dominance was illustrated by the four tries they scored without having their line crossed once.
It was a performance of clinical proportions by the home side as they dominated just about every single aspect of play.
The All Blacks have been searching for a dominating line-out forward these past couple of years, and they appear to have finally found one in the towering Tom Donnelly.
Playing in just his eighth Test match, Donnelly went about his business like a journeyman.
He never let his opposite number Victor Matfield dominate him and on his own throw was a tower of strength.
At times the Springboks were their own worst enemy.
After escaping the attention of the referee early on in the game for a cynical head-butt on scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan, Bakkies Botha was not so lucky a few minutes later when referee Alan Lewis sent him from the field for 10 minutes for a professional foul.
During the period Botha was off the field, the Boks conceded 10 points via a Ma'a Nonu try and two kicks by flyhalf Dan Carter.
For Nonu it was a return to form at just the right moment.
The All Blacks led 20-3 going in to the half-time break . A couple of Morne Steyn penalties did give a glimmer of hope to the visitors but tries by Kieran Reid and Tony Woodcock cemented the All Blacks' victory.
In a post-match television interview Bok captain John Smit called the Botha incident silly.
"Discipline wins and loses you Tests," he said.
"We are surprised at how poor we were in the line-out. Today we let them slip through so we just have to work on things before next Saturday."
The Boks have a chance to avenge the defeat when the teams clash again in Wellington on Saturday.
BOKS GET RUGBY LESSON
THE Eden Park jinx continues for the Springboks.
THE Eden Park jinx continues for the Springboks.
Having last won there in 1937, the visiting Boks again succumbed 34-12 to the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations opener at at the temple of New Zealand rugby on Saturday.
The All Blacks' dominance was illustrated by the four tries they scored without having their line crossed once.
It was a performance of clinical proportions by the home side as they dominated just about every single aspect of play.
The All Blacks have been searching for a dominating line-out forward these past couple of years, and they appear to have finally found one in the towering Tom Donnelly.
Playing in just his eighth Test match, Donnelly went about his business like a journeyman.
He never let his opposite number Victor Matfield dominate him and on his own throw was a tower of strength.
At times the Springboks were their own worst enemy.
After escaping the attention of the referee early on in the game for a cynical head-butt on scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan, Bakkies Botha was not so lucky a few minutes later when referee Alan Lewis sent him from the field for 10 minutes for a professional foul.
During the period Botha was off the field, the Boks conceded 10 points via a Ma'a Nonu try and two kicks by flyhalf Dan Carter.
For Nonu it was a return to form at just the right moment.
The All Blacks led 20-3 going in to the half-time break . A couple of Morne Steyn penalties did give a glimmer of hope to the visitors but tries by Kieran Reid and Tony Woodcock cemented the All Blacks' victory.
In a post-match television interview Bok captain John Smit called the Botha incident silly.
"Discipline wins and loses you Tests," he said.
"We are surprised at how poor we were in the line-out. Today we let them slip through so we just have to work on things before next Saturday."
The Boks have a chance to avenge the defeat when the teams clash again in Wellington on Saturday.
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