THE BODY language at the traditional post-match press conference is often a good indication of the state of mind and body in the respective camps. On Saturday at Newlands, Gary Teichmann, the Springbok vice-captain, appeared in a sweat-soaked tee-shirt, his face haggard and his voice barely audible.
Deputising for the captain Francois Pienaar, Teichmann, like the other Springbok forwards, had just produced one of the most extraordinary performances of individual and team commitment ever seen in international rugby.
For more than 60 minutes South Africa, who had kept their line intact in their three previous games against New Zealand, showed outstanding commitment and aggression in defence, successfully repelling an endless succession of All Black attacks.
As for the New Zealand delegation, they trooped in to the interview room already freshly showered, exuding a rosy glow of satisfaction.
Not so much because Sean Fitzpatrick had just been presented the gigantic Tri-Nations Cup a hideous creation which the All Black hooker could barely carry on his own - but because their faith in attacking rugby had at last been vindicated, and with it the first step in expunging the national dishonour the Kiwis feel at never having won a Test series in South Africa.
Having put their early jitters behind them, they stuck to their game plan to come from behind and scored a total of 23 points in the last quarter.
"Even when we had 20 or 30 rucks in a row and the Springboks were then awarded a scrum, I wasn't too concerned. I just believed we had to keep plugging away and that eventually the gaps would open, and tries would come," said Fitzpatrick.
Their normally ebullient coach John Hart was however unusually subdued, having had to wait until the 78th minute for the All Blacks to put victory beyond doubt. "I wish they would stop doing this to me! I am going for an electrocardiogram tomorrow morning, and Zinzan Brooke is coming to read it with me!" he quipped.
The multi-talented back-row forward had made an uncharacteristic number of glaring mistakes, especially early in the game when both he and fly-half Andrew Mehrtens seems to be cracking under the pressure of the magnificent South African defence.
It took New Zealand virtually an hour to gain the upper hand, finally breaking the drought of more than 370 tryless minutes against South Africa with a try from winger Glen Osborne.
Eight minutes later with South African disorganised and running desperately short of steam, the All Blacks put together another six-phase movement to send prop Craig Dowd crashing over for the decisive try.
"These All Blacks can obviously handle pressure, and their forwards have tremendous skill in keeping the ball in hand. But I believe we showed for 60 minutes that we have got what it takes to beat them," said the Springboks' manager Morne du Plessis.
This was nevertheless a match of bone shuddering intensity and one wonders with the attribution rate how the teams will cope with the unprecedented demands of four Tests in four successive weeks.
