South Africa 22 New Zealand 16: The superiority New Zealand displayed in their series victory over the Lions was put into perspective here on Saturday, leaving the All Blacks with plenty to think about before their second Tri- Nations match, against Australia in Sydney, this weekend.
On a blustery and bruising afternoon questions were raised about the ability of Graham Henry's side to cope with opponents who hit back, and of their forwards to impose their will against stubborn resistance.
They will be no quarter given by Australia, who have plenty to prove themselves after their two demoralising Test defeats in South Africa.
The All Blacks have to overcome injury problems as well as make the 12-hour flight across six time zones for the second time in just over a week to face a Wallaby side who have an impressive record against New Zealand at the Olympic Stadium, having won four of the last five meetings.
Having lost scrumhalf Justin Marshall to Leeds, the All Blacks have also lost his long-serving understudy, Byron Kelleher, to Victor Matfield. Henry has called up Kevin Senio to provide half-back cover.
The 6ft 5in Matfield caught the 5ft 7in Kelleher with a late, swinging arm in the 10th minute, forcing the half-back out with concussion and landing Matfield before a disciplinary hearing yesterday. He was cleared on the grounds that the tackle "was the result of a collision between players in a dynamic and legitimate tackle situation".
And there were plenty of those, a lot of them behind the All Black advantage line. The outhalf Dan Carter's burgeoning reputation took a pounding, some good moments mixed with some glaringly bad - none more so than a knock-on under his posts when, for once, he didn't have a green-shirted monster about to climb all over him.
Henry was a study in magnanimity, praising the Springboks and twisting the knife for the Lions. "This was most definitely a step up from the Lions series," he said, confirming what he had been predicting all week.
Richie McCaw added: "Everything went our way in the last few games and perhaps we went out there thinking that it was going to happen again."
Instead they found themselves 13-0 down within 11 minutes, with centre Jean de Villiers intercepting a pass from the groggy Kelleher and sprinting 75 metres to score.
The All Blacks levelled in as many minutes, claiming their try through the overlapping right wing Rico Gear. But they managed only a Carter penalty in the remaining 54 minutes.
SOUTH AFRICA: Montgomery; Paulse, Fourie, De Villiers, Habana; Pretorius, Januarie (Du Preez, 60 mins); Du Randt (Steenkamp, 49), Smit (capt), Van der Linde, Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Van Niekerk (Cronje, 75 mins).
NEW ZEALAND: MacDonald (Rokocoko, 67 mins); Gear, Umaga (capt) (McAlister, 77 mins), Mauger, Muliaina; Carter, Kelleher (Weepu, 11 mins); Woodcock, Mealamu (Witcombe, 67 mins), Hayman (Somerville, 67 mins), Jack, Williams, Collins, McCaw, So'oialo.
Referee: A Cole (Australia).
