All Blacks stay perfect

New Zealand completed back-to-back Tri-Nations home victories over South Africa with a comfortable 31-17 triumph in Wellington.

The All Blacks ran in four tries to claim successive bonus point wins over the world champions and ensure their two home fixtures yielded the maximum 10 points.

Two tries in either half proved the difference, Ma'a Nonu and Mils Muliaina crossed before the interval before Rene Ranger and substitute Israel Dagg scored their first Test tries to seal the win.

South Africa gave a much better account of themselves than at Eden Park seven days ago and crossed twice through Danie Rossouw and Schalk Burger.

Clinical

Rossouw, making his 50th Test appearance in place of the suspended Bakkies Botha, was earlier the villain of the piece though after a skirmish with Richie McCaw saw him sent to the sin bin just four minutes in.

And the hosts capitalised clinically, racing into a 10-0 lead with their opponents a man down.

Nonu opened the scoring, powering over a ruck of bodies on seven minutes and just managing to ground the ball. Dan Carter, who had missed an earlier penalty, was again off target with the conversion.

South Africa captain John Smit gave his troops a stern talking to before the restart, however his words had little effect as just five minutes later the home side struck again.

A fine break from Piri Weepu sliced open the Springboks' static defence and Muliaina raced away down the right wing to score clinically in the corner.

Carter continued his 100 per cent failure record, however his latest effort was the toughest yet under a swirling wind at the Westpac Stadium.

Rossouw returned to the field minutes later, however the wave of attacks from the men in black refused to relent and Carter landed his first effort in four attempts on the half hour.

Despite spending the majority of the first half on the back foot, South Africa grabbed a lifeline three minutes before the break when Rossouw crashed over and Morne Steyn added the extras.

Robust

Any hopes of a comeback were soon put to bed though as Ranger marked his first Test start with a try six minutes after the break.

Carter, who missed the subsequent conversion, was then taken off kicking duties as Weepu tried his luck.

The move paid dividends on 51 minutes when the robust scrum-half expertly slotted over a 40-metre effort to put the All Blacks 21-10 to the good.

A bonus-point win was sealed 14 minutes later, replacement Dagg producing two sizzling sidesteps past Pierre Spies, Burger and Zane Kirchner before touching down.

Burger barged his way over for a late consolation, however the All Blacks were full value for their second successive bonus-point win and are now in pole position to regain the title.