McCaw try seals thrilling win for All Blacks

Ben Smith - cropped

Tries from Ben Smith, Dane Coles and skipper Riche McCaw helped steer New Zealand to a 27–20 victory over South Africa in a pulsating Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg.

The victory was particularly sweet for the visitors, who suffered an agonising last-minute defeat in the corresponding fixture at the same venue last year, and provides them with a potentially major psychological boost ahead of September's World Cup.

South Africa more than played their part in a thrilling contest at Ellis Park, Willie le Roux and Jesse Kriel both crossing for well-worked tries, but even after New Zealand lost replacement lock Sam Whitelock to a yellow card on 59 minutes, they weren't able to topple the world champions.

New Zealand's attempts to play a high-tempo game in a bid to unsettle the hosts backfired on them in the ninth minute when Bismarck du Plessis capitalised on some loose handling to force a turnover from Kieran Read.

Swift recycling from the home back-row saw the ball make its way to Kriel and his clever inside pass released Le Roux, who raced over for his eighth Test try.

Handre Pollard added a 20th-minute penalty to his successful conversion of Le Roux's try to make it 10-3 to the hosts, but they found themselves pegged back as New Zealand levelled things up in spectacular style on the stroke of half-time.

A midfield turnover created an opportunity for debutant Lima Sopoaga that he exploited to the full, slicing through the defensive line before slinging out an inch-perfect long pass to send Smith over.

The second half began in similarly thrilling style as a clever short pass from Pollard created an opening for Kriel, who burst through a gap to bag his second try in as many Tests.

But as impressive as Kriel's show of pace was, it was almost immediately matched by Coles, the New Zealand hooker popping up in the backline and leaving several defenders trailing in his wake as he claimed his side's second try of the game.

Sopoaga's successful conversion levelled it up again at 17-17, but Pollard soon restored South Africa's lead with a penalty and moments later they were handed a further advantage when Whitelock made his temporary exit.

Undeterred, however, Steve Hansen's men weathered a storm of home pressure and, on 74 minutes, a set line-out move saw McCaw mark his final appearance in South Africa with a try.

Sopoaga then capped a nerveless kicking display by successfully landing both the conversion and a late penalty.

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