Boks battered by All Blacks

New Zealand started their Tri-Nations campaign in style as they handed out a 32-12 thrashing to South Africa in Auckland.

The All Blacks dominated from start to finish at Eden Park and secured a bonus point by outscoring the world champions four tries to none.

Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Kieran Reid and Tony Woodcock all crossed for the hosts, with Dan Carter adding three conversions and two penalties.

Graham Henry's men came flying out of the traps from the very start and South Africa struggled to match them for pace and intensity throughout the match, while their cause was not helped by Bakkies Botha's early yellow card.

Only Morne Steyn's four penalties got the Springboks on the board as their winless run at Eden Park extended to 73 years, and they will need to improve leaps and bounds for next Saturday's clash in Wellington.

Fast start

The All Blacks lost all three of their matches against the Springboks in last year's tournament, and they started the game looking like a team desperate to prove a point.

The Springboks took a seventh minute lead with a Steyn penalty in front of the posts, but it was all one-way traffic for the remainder of the half as the All Blacks completely outmuscled the visitors.

After a sustained period of pressure, initiated by a Richie McCaw break, a back-pedalling Springbok defence finally broke when Bakkies Botha prevented Keven Mealamu from releasing after his burrowing run to inches from the line.

Referee Alan Lewis had no hesitation in sending the lock to the sin bin and after Carter stroked over the 13th-minute penalty, the All Blacks quickly made their one-man advantage count with the game's opening try following a stunning counter-attack.

Mils Muliaina collected a high kick and produced a piercing counter through the middle and fed McCaw, who in turn sent the ball wide for Smith to dive over in the corner.

Carter added the extras and his second penalty, just after Botha's return, made it 13-3 just before the half hour.

Threat

The Springboks briefly threatened but Steyn held on too long with Bryan Habana well placed and their best opportunity of the opening period was lost.

The visitors were losing the physical battle and it was no surprise when Nonu barged through some feeble defending to storm over from close range four minutes before the interval.

Carter knocked over the conversion to give his side a commanding 20-3 half-time lead.

The Springboks needed early points to give themselves any hope and duly delivered with Steyn kicking a pair of penalties inside the opening 10 minutes of the second stanza.

The All Blacks had offered little as an attacking force after the break, but their ruthless streak was evident when Read barged over for just his second Test try in the 58th minute.

South Africa replied with another Steyn penalty straight from the re-start, but without an attacking threat they were left trying to avoid conceding a bonus point.

In the end they could not even do that as more scrum pressure set up Woodcock to touch down in the last minute.