PRETORIA, 20 July 2003 — New Zealand delivered an emphatic World Cup message yesterday with a record-breaking 52-16 win over South Africa in the second round of the Tri-Nations championship.
Wingers Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett scored two tries each the All Blacks confirmed their status as the Southern Hemisphere’s leading challenger for the World Cup opening in Sydney on Oct. 10.
Flyhalf Carlos Spencer, centre Aaron Mauger and replacement prop Keews Meeuws also crossed the Springbok line in a one-sided exhibition of handling rugby.
The score was the highest conceded by South Africa at home and the third highest anywhere. The All Blacks’ 36-point margin of victory was their largest against the Springboks, the biggest in South Africa and the second highest anywhere following England’s 53-3 win at Twickenham last year. The seven tries also equaled the most conceded by the Springboks and were the most conceded at home.The Springboks briefly held the lead through a Louis Koen penalty but a three-try burst in 15 minutes midway through the first half tilted the game decisively in the visitors’ favor.
Spencer dummied down the blindside of a ruck for the first in the 12th minute and with Howlett and Rokocoko crossing within four minutes of each other the All Blacks had sprinted into a 22-6 lead by the 27th minute. Koen kicked his second penalty after striking a 40 metres drop goal to close the gap to 13 points at halftime but the All Blacks then utterly dominated the second period.
Spencer kicked two penalties at the start of the half before Rokocoko’s second try and Meeuws’ score from a lineout drive on the 66th minute killed off the Springboks’ last remaining hopes at 40-9.
Meeuws was yellow-carded for elbowing Springbok replacement prop Robbie Kempson instantly after scoring the try but it made no difference to the All Blacks.
They gave up a try to ing Ashwin Willemse in the 72nd minute but finished the stronger, scoring again through Howlett and Mauger to bring up the half-century before Meeuws had returned to the field. New Zealand took five points from the game and lead the standings from South Africa (4) and Australia (1). They now meet world champions Australia in Sydney next Saturday.
