MacDonald points All Blacks to win
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MacDonald races to score under the posts on his way to a 16-point haul
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MELBOURNE, Australia -- New Zealand were in total command as they sent South Africa crashing out of the Rugby World Cup with a convincing 29-9 victory in Melbourne to set up a semifinal showdown against Australia.
Center Leon MacDonald was the match winner for the All Blacks as he scored all the points in their 13-6 half-time lead and added another penalty in the second half for a personal tally of 16 points. Australia later beat Scotland 33-16.
The New Zealand forwards had taken control early on to dominate at set-piece and in the loose, with No.8 Jerry Collins and locks Ali Williams and Chris Jack outstanding.
"Many people have underestimated our forward pack," said satisfied New Zealand coach John Mitchell. "Sometimes they don't get the reward they're due, but they were superb tonight."
The margin of victory - New Zealand's first over South Africa at the World Cup - would have been greater had the All Blacks backs not squandered a series of golden try-scoring opportunities in the first half.
"We were a little bit inaccurate and possibly of guilty trying to force balls that we could have been more patient with," All Blacks assistant coach Robbie Deans said.
"But there's no point trying to shackle these guys - they just love to play."
South Africa coach Rudolf Straueli offered no excuses. "We came here to win the World Cup but we didn't. It's disappointing," he said.
"But we won a lot of hearts on and off the pitch. Maybe this World Cup came a year too early. It's disappointing but we didn't deserve to win. We were beaten by a better team."
After squandering an early try-scoring opportunity when scrum-half Justin Marshall failed to release Rokocoko with the line begging, New Zealand took the lead on 13 minutes with a MacDonald penalty.
South Africa responded immediately. From the kick-off Mealamu was penalised for not releasing on the floor and flyhalf Derick Hougaard nervelessly slotted the kick to make it 3-3.
But parity was fleeting as the try New Zealand had been threatening finally materialised only moments later following a magical break from Spencer.
The All Blacks playmaker jinked past onrushing flanker Danie Rossouw and raced 40 meters clear before offloading inside to MacDonald in support who scored under the posts.
MacDonald converted to make it 10-3 but New Zealand continued to be profligate with opportunities to extend their lead.
Spencer missed two close-range drop goal attempts and a further try was spurned when Aaron Mauger broke only to ignore his support and allow the attack to break down.
A long-range MacDonald penalty gave New Zealand a 10-point cushion at 13-3 but Hougaard stroked over his second penalty on half-time to keep South Africa in touch at the break.
South Africa needed an early score in the second half but saw a fine break from Jorrie Muller come to nothing when the centre failed to pass to Joost van der Westhuizen outside.
Instead, Mauger made it 16-6 with an opportunistic drop goal early in the second-half after a loping break from second row Williams.
But Hougaard's third penalty again reduced the deficit.
New Zealand always looked capable of adding to their tally, and Spencer, Marshall and fullback Mils Muliaina all went close only to be denied by desperate Springbok defence.
A second try always looked on the cards though and it eventually came going into the final quarter when Mealamu barrelled through a gap near the fringes to race over for a memorable try.
MacDonald missed the conversion but another penalty made it 24-9 and there was only going to be one winner.
Rokocoko's late score - from a cheeky through-the-legs pass by Spencer - completed an emphatic win.
