New Zealand rode another blistering start to a 35-20 victory over South Africa at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, making a big statement in a World Cup year and placing one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy.
Playing a high-octane brand of attacking rugby married with immense physicality, the All Blacks scored early tries through Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell before late scores from Will Jordan and Richie Mo'unga put a seal on the victory.
The world champions, starved of the ball and heavily penalised, looked shellshocked by the early onslaught but recovered to score second-half tries through Malcolm Marx, Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith.
The victory made it two wins out of two in the truncated championship for the All Blacks after last week's 41-12 win over Argentina, also built on an early try blitz.
The All Blacks again shot out of the blocks and were rewarded as early as the fifth minute when winger Jordan glided through the midfield and drew the last defender before releasing Smith to score.
Flyhalf Mo'unga pushed the lead out to 10-0 with a penalty and a further five minutes later the home side were over again with Jordan playing a key role as flanker Frizell finished off a sublime move featuring a whirlwind of offloads.
The Springboks were simply unable to get their hands on the ball in the opening quarter and it was not until the 26th minute that they got over the New Zealand line, only for the TMO to decide winger Kolbe had not grounded the ball.
They finally got on the board through a Faf de Klerk penalty in the 36th minute but Mo'unga replied almost immediately and the All Blacks held out a fierce assault on their try line to go into the break with a 20-3 advantage.
The game reverted to the sort of tight contest that had been expected in the second half but there was a worrying moment for the Springboks early on when scrumhalf de Klerk went down clutching his knee and was replaced.
South Africa's "bomb squad" bench forwards soon entered the fray and had an immediate impact when the Springbok pack finally executed a rolling maul to send replacement hooker Marx over for a converted try and cut the deficit to 20-10.
Mo'unga kicked his third penalty from near the halfway line on the hour mark but the Springboks were by now in the ascendant and some superb interpassing of their own sent Kolbe over in the corner to cut the lead to 23-15 after 62 minutes.
That was as close as it got as Jordan finally got his reward for a superb display by latching onto a Beauden Barrett crosskick in the 69th minute and Mo'unga, who kicked a total of 15 points from the tee, dived over the line for the fourth try.
There was still time for flanker Smith to bulldoze his way through the All Blacks defence for a fine individual try but the home fans were already celebrating the victory in the packed stands.
All Blacks strike early to beat Springboks in Auckland
Image: David Rowland
New Zealand rode another blistering start to a 35-20 victory over South Africa at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, making a big statement in a World Cup year and placing one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy.
Playing a high-octane brand of attacking rugby married with immense physicality, the All Blacks scored early tries through Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell before late scores from Will Jordan and Richie Mo'unga put a seal on the victory.
The world champions, starved of the ball and heavily penalised, looked shellshocked by the early onslaught but recovered to score second-half tries through Malcolm Marx, Cheslin Kolbe and Kwagga Smith.
The victory made it two wins out of two in the truncated championship for the All Blacks after last week's 41-12 win over Argentina, also built on an early try blitz.
The All Blacks again shot out of the blocks and were rewarded as early as the fifth minute when winger Jordan glided through the midfield and drew the last defender before releasing Smith to score.
Flyhalf Mo'unga pushed the lead out to 10-0 with a penalty and a further five minutes later the home side were over again with Jordan playing a key role as flanker Frizell finished off a sublime move featuring a whirlwind of offloads.
The Springboks were simply unable to get their hands on the ball in the opening quarter and it was not until the 26th minute that they got over the New Zealand line, only for the TMO to decide winger Kolbe had not grounded the ball.
They finally got on the board through a Faf de Klerk penalty in the 36th minute but Mo'unga replied almost immediately and the All Blacks held out a fierce assault on their try line to go into the break with a 20-3 advantage.
The game reverted to the sort of tight contest that had been expected in the second half but there was a worrying moment for the Springboks early on when scrumhalf de Klerk went down clutching his knee and was replaced.
South Africa's "bomb squad" bench forwards soon entered the fray and had an immediate impact when the Springbok pack finally executed a rolling maul to send replacement hooker Marx over for a converted try and cut the deficit to 20-10.
Mo'unga kicked his third penalty from near the halfway line on the hour mark but the Springboks were by now in the ascendant and some superb interpassing of their own sent Kolbe over in the corner to cut the lead to 23-15 after 62 minutes.
That was as close as it got as Jordan finally got his reward for a superb display by latching onto a Beauden Barrett crosskick in the 69th minute and Mo'unga, who kicked a total of 15 points from the tee, dived over the line for the fourth try.
There was still time for flanker Smith to bulldoze his way through the All Blacks defence for a fine individual try but the home fans were already celebrating the victory in the packed stands.
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