All Blacks strike late to seal easy win

New Zealand scored 21 points in the final 11 minutes to beat a dogged South Africa side 33-6 in the Tri-Nations yesterday.

The world's top-ranked team were held to a six-point lead until the 69th minute by the visiting Springboks, who were labelled a B side after 20 leading players were left at home to prepare for the World Cup.

The All Blacks finally got their game together in the final 11 minutes, scoring three tries with flyhalf Dan Carter claiming the third after the siren sounded for a personal tally of 23 points.

The win moved the All Blacks to the top of the standings on points difference ahead of Australia.

The All Blacks led 6-3 at the end of an error-strewn first half. The turning point came in the 52nd minute when South African flanker Pedrie Wannenburg was yellow-carded for killing the ball at a ruck.

Carter kicked two penalties in Wannenburg's absence before gaps began to appear in the tiring Springbok defence.

Carter, who kicked seven out of eight attempts at goal, claimed the final try after the siren sounded when he jogged through a fragmented Springbok defence after each team had turned over the ball at least once.