New Zealand 26 South Africa 11It was billed as a clash of the defending champions, New Zealand, and their predecessors as Under-21 World Cup champions, South Africa, but the pool match between last night's semi-finalists - played earlier in the week, in which the All Blacks prevailed 49-27 - suggested that the result would be a foregone conclusion.
It wasn't quite that emphatic, but that probably owed to the sodden conditions as much to the character and guts shown by the Baby 'Boks. Conditions militated against an expansive game, but both sides eschewed a safety-first policy where practical.
New Zealand's greater physical power up front, manifest in their back row of Jerome Kaino, the excellent Jonathan Poff and George Naoupu, who made serious yardage, and the sublime handling skills of centre Luke McAllister gave them the edge throughout the contest.
They largely took tackles on their own terms and, but for a lack of patience inside the South African 22, could have tacked on several more tries.
They included nine players with Super 12 experience, led by senior All Black Ben Atiga, and it wasn't difficult to discern the damage they could inflict given reasonable playing conditions.
South Africa, with senior international Derick Hougaard at outhalf, never ceded the fight, but bravery alone was never going to suffice. Adriaan Fondse showed a tremendous appetite for the physical, as did the combative Schalk Ferreira, while in pacy left wing Brian Habana they boasted a player of real promise.
Habana had scored three tries in the pool match and as a consequence of that temerity had to endure several late hits, the worst of which saw Kaino get a deserved 10 minutes in the bin.
New Zealand, though, scored two tries in his absence through Stephen Donald and Rudy Wolf, with McAllister kicking a penalty. South Africa only trailed 13-11 at the break with a penalty, drop goal and try from Hougaard, the latter created by Habana.
In the second half, New Zealand exerted more control, McAllister tagging on two penalties and converting a try from prop Ben Franks; authoritative winners in the end.
Scoring sequence - 9 mins: McAllister penalty, 3-0; 11: Hougaard penalty, 3-3; 17: Donald try, 8-3; 20: Wulf try, 13-3; 29: Hougaard drop goal, 13-6; 39: Hougaard try, 13-11. Half-time: 13-11. 47: McAllister penalty, 16-11; 51: McAllister penalty, 19-11; 60: Franks try, McAllister conversion, 26-11.
NEW ZEALAND: G Horton; T Koonwaiyou, B Atiga (capt), L McAllister, R Wulf; S Donald, T Morland; B Franks, J Pareanga, J Afoa; C Clarke, J Ryan; G Naoupu, J Kaino, J Poff. Replacements: P Weepu for Morland, T Paulo for Pareanga (both 52 mins); K Haiu for Clarke (60); M Tu'u for Naoupu, H Gear for Wulf (68); J Schwlager for Franks (76).
SOUTH AFRICA: H Daniller; J Plaatjies, E Rose, W Olivier, B Habana; D Hougaard, P Delport (capt); S Ferreira, A Constant, S Mxoli; W Moore, A Bekker; D Kuun, J Melck, A Fondse. Replacements: P van der Westhuizen for Constant (half-time); S Blakeley for Ferreira, R Pienaar for Delport (both 54 mins); L Karamaker for Melck, M Delport for Rose (60); F van der Merwe for Moore (69); A Strauss for Habana (76).
Yellow cards: J Kaino (New Zealand 11-21 mins).
Referee: B Bowden (Australia).
