Rugby Union: Mehrtens applies the magic boot

South Africa 18 New Zealand 34

NEW ZEALAND showed once again why they are favourites to lift this year's World Cup with a convincing victory over the Springboks here.

Despite an improved performance by the Springboks, Saturday's Tri-Nations clash was their fourth successive Test defeat, and came in front of a capacity crowd. The New Zealand outside-half Andrew Mehrtens effectively won the game for the All Blacks, who led 20-11 at the break, by kicking seven penalties, punishing South Africa's all too frequent elementary errors.

Captained for the first time by Joost van der Westhuizen, the Springboks were dealt a cruel blow when the centre Andre Snyman fractured his ankle as he scored the game's first try. Snyman, in his first Test after a long injury lay-off, collected a lucky bounce from a charged-down kick by Gaffie du Toit to drag two defenders over the line - only to be carried off in front of his home crowd. Although the world champions produced their best rugby of the season they were punished by Mehrtens' accuracy as the home side's early possession and pressure at the beginning of each half were undone by an almost amateurish inability to get the basics right.

The Springboks, smarting from three successive record losses which resulted in the sacking of Gary Teichmann as captain, can only blame themselves for basic errors; accidental offsides, kicks directly into touch and, critically, missed first-time tackles.

Confusion in the centre allowed Christian Cullen to burst through the back line and score the first of his two tries.

Van der Westhuizen began the second half with a try set up by Rassie Erasmus, who drew three defenders before off-loading to enable his captain to increased his South African try scoring record to 26.

However, apart from these brief flashes, the game belonged to the All Blacks who produced their trademark counter-attacking flair - which resulted in Cullen's second try as well as a drop goal by full-back Jeff Wilson just before half-time.

South Africa's old foe, Jonah Lomu, wreaked havoc when he came on as a replacement after Darryl Gibson left the field with a lower back spasm.

However, neither side were aided by the inconsistency of the referee Ed Morrison, whose puzzling whistle calls rendered the game a stop-start affair at times.

South Africa: Tries Snyman, van der Westhuizen. Conversion du Toit. Penalties du Toit 2.

New Zealand: Tries Cullen 2. Penalties Mehrtens 7. Drop goal Wilson.

South Africa: Montgomery; Kayser, Snyman (Fleck, 29), Smith, Rossouw (Terblanche, 63); Du Toit, Van der Westhuizen (capt); Du Randt (Le Roux, 52), Drotske (Rossouw, 60), Visagie, Boome (Andrews, 54), Van den Berg, Kruger (Vos, h-t), Venter, Erasmus.

New Zealand: Wilson; Cullen, Ieremia, Gibson (Lomu, 30) Umaga; Mehrtens,

Marshall; Feek, Oliver (Hammett, 66), Meeuws, Maxwell, Brooke (Willis, 73), Blowers (Thome, 65), Kronfeld, Randell (capt).

Referee: E Morrison (England).

n Two of Australia's big names gave the selectors a boost on Saturday when both made successful returns from injury. Steve Larkham, Australia's regular outside-half, resumed for Wests against Australian Capital Territory after recovering from a knee injury while John Eales, the Wallaby captain, came back after six months off with a shoulder injury to play for Brothers against Sunnybank in Brisbane.