Bakkies Botha is more familiar than most players with the game's disciplinary process, but while the cited South Africa second-row can expect a hefty suspension if found guilty tomorrow of head-butting Jimmy Cowan in the opening exchanges of the Tri-Nations opener today, it was his sin-binning on 13 minutes for killing the ball on his own line that had a material effect on the outcome.
The Springboks were leading 3-0 when Botha, who had made contact with the back of Cowan's head after being held back off the ball, ended a series of New Zealand close-range drives by playing the ball off his feet. When he returned, the All Blacks had scored 10 unanswered points and generated a momentum that took them to victory.
The All Blacks, unbeaten at Eden Park since 1994, struggled in the set-pieces in their three defeats to South Africa last year, but they quickly gained the initiative in the scrum and their initial tactic today of not kicking to touch proved overcautious as they took two lineout steals while maintaining a 100% record on their own throw.
The foundation allowed the All Blacks to dictate the pace of the game and their ability to secure quick possession from the breakdown frequently took them over the gainline. The quick feet of Conrad Smith and Mils Muliaina enabled them to not just get in behind the defence but off-load in contact, and South Africa were made to look leaden without the ball.
Muliaina's break past John Smit and Schalk Burger from behind his 10-metre line in the 18th minute created the first of New Zealand's tries, finished by Smith, and despite fielding their oldest ever back division, with an average age of 28, the counterattacking All Blacks set a pace their opponents could not match.
They led 20-3 at the break with Ma'a Nonu scoring in the corner after a move that started, as was the case with the opening try, from Ricky Januarie's overweighted kick downfield.
South Africa reduced the deficit to 11 points in the third quarter through Morne Steyn's boot, but the outside-half became erratic as his side's gameplan unravelled. When Donnelly and Nonu combined to create the position from which Kieran Read scored New Zealand's third try, the contest was over.
The All Blacks secured the bonus point at the end when Tony Woodcock was driven over, but they will have to do it again in Wellington on Saturday when South Africa, smarting from an unexpectedly comprehensive defeat, are sure to be smarter.
