And so it's off to Durban and Tri-Nations glory going to the winner of the encounter between the Springboks and the Wallabies.

For the winners in Johannesburg there was the new Freedom Cup, as South Africa celebrates ten years of democratic freedom since the first democratic election in 1994.

It was a match the Springboks thoroughly deserved to win as they threw away about 20 points in gilt-edged chances.

Before the match Nelson Mandela came out onto the ground and both teams filed past him to be introduced to him. Joel Stransky, the former Springbok fly-half, referred to the great man as the patron saint of South African rugby. Presumably his saintliness was a powerful antidote to the haka, this time led by Kees Meeuws in place of axed Carlos Spencer.

The Springboks dominated the match from start to finish and yet could have lost it as they missed three penalty kicks at goal, two conversions and chance for a try when they were three against one, five metres from New Zealand's line.

Unlike the first match between the two in Christchurch this time the Springboks dominated possession and territory. They attacked wide on eight occasions, 48 times close in to limit the spread defence.

The feat of the match was a hat-trick of tries by Marius Joubert, the first Springbok to score a hat-trick against New Zealand since Ray Mordt in 1981.

The All Blacks with Andrew Mehrtens at fly-half played deeper and deeper, but still found the South African defence a tough nut to crack.

New Zealand did little in the first half apart from defend and score points. They seldom came into South African territory but they made it count.

The South Africans tried a surprise kick-off by Bolla Conradie, but then three penalties sent them back to kick off again after Andrew Mehrtens had goaled the third.

The South Africans ran at the New Zealanders. De Wet Barry had a strong run and popped to Schalk Burger. The effective flank knocked on and Mils Muliaina broke away from Breyton Paulse to run some 60 metres for a brilliant try, which Mehrtens converted. So, after only six minutes, the visitors led 10-0.

Percy Montgomery had an off-day with the boot, missing the first of three penalties in the half soon afterwards.

Then the referee Nigel Williams of Wales did his hamstring. He was strapped but unable to continue, and Donal Courtney of Ireland took his place with Mark Lawrence of South Africa moving to touch judge.

The Springboks attacked and nearly scored when Marius Joubert broke. An ankle-tap stopped Paulse from scoring. They made a penalty into a five-metre line-out and then Joubert was over the line, but held up.

From a five-metre scrum SA No.8 Joe van Niekerk, who did it effectively throughout the half, picked up and gave to Joubert. The centre skipped past Tana Umaga and scored. Montgomery converted. 10-7 to New Zealand.

Mehrtens kicked the kick-off directly out and Kees Meeuws was penalised at the scrum, but Montgomery's penalty kick was wide.

The All Blacks made a mess of the drop-out which became a scrum.

Jaco van der Westhuyzen grubbered and Joe Rokocoko was forced out for an attacking line-out to the Springboks but in the ensuing attack the Springboks knocked on.

At this stage Mehrtens was kicking a great deal and one excellent diagonal took the ball to the Springbok 22. Montgomery's kick slewed off his boot, and Victor Matfield was penalised for being off-side. Mehrtens made the score 13-7.

Then Paulse managed to bring down Muliaina in space. Conradie flipped the loose ball up with a boot and Monty was speeding down the right wing. He got his pass inside to Paulse who was over in the corner for a try despite a Sam Tuitupou's tackle and visit to the video room. 13-12 to New Zealand after 29 minutes.

Form the kick-off Paulse broke free and set Barry running down the right. Joe van Niekerk had another run and Barry broke sharply to give Joubert an easy run for his first try near the posts. 19-13 after 31 minutes.

Barry was penalised at a tackle at the start of the second half and Mehrtens kicked the penalty from a few centimetres inside the Springbok half but in the middle of the field. 19-16 to South Africa.

Mehrtens had another go from near touch on the half-way line but was well wide. Instead it was Montgomery who scored the penalty goal when Chris Jack was penalised for crossing obstruction.

Then came a great period of All Black attack during which they destroyed a Springbok scrum to put huge pressure on Van Niekerk. From a scrum, they went right and Joe Rokocoko, who was always able to do telling things from limited opportunities, came sweeping round behind Mehrtens to burst between Barry and Van der Westhuyzen to score under the posts. The All Blacks were back in the lead after trailing for 22 minutes. 23-22.

At this stage the All Blacks were mauling well, playing deeper and looking constantly threatening.

But the Springboks scored next when Muliaina, who had an active match, was penalised for using his hands where he should not have. 25-23 to South Africa with 27 minutes left.

Both sides made changes.

The All Blacks got the lead back when a high up-and-under by Mehrtens dropped just outside the Springbok 22 and was spilled. Burger was off-side at the ensuing scrum and Mehrtens made it 26-25 to New Zealand in this heart-stopping, breath-catching, bitten-nail match.

The rest of the game belonged to South Africa. They attacked. Joubert slipped past Justin Marshall and as he fell at the line he popped a pass to Jean de Villiers who fell over for the try. 30-26. This was South Africa's fourth try, which meant a bonus point.

Muliaina was penalised for holding on and Montgomery goaled the long kick to make it 33-26 with 11 minutes to go.

Still the Springboks came back with sustained attacks until they went left over and over, came back right and lost the chance to score what would have been the best try of the match when Barry held on a fraction too long and Rokocoko knocked down a pass. The Fijian-born wing nearly held onto the knock-down. If he had held on he would have had a long but unstoppable sprint to the Springbok posts.

Trying to keep the ball and All Black hopes alive Muliaina threw a long lobbed pass to Doug Howlett, who had an oddly nervous match. He knocked on, producing a scrum to South Africa five metres from the All Black line.

Jacques Cronjé, on for Van Niekerk, did what Van Niekerk had done so well. He picked up and charged on the open side. Held up he flicked a switch to Joubert who swept imperiously past Mose Tuiali'i and Ali Williams to score under the posts. 40-26 with four minutes left.

The All Blacks strove manfully in those four minutes without really looking like making a try which would have given them at least a bonus point.

Man of the Match: There were lots of triers but one real, coruscating star - Marius Joubert who scored three tries and made another and then found energy to tackle with telling force.

Moment of the Match: The try Mils Muliaina scored from 60 metres out as the All Blacks made great use of advantage and the fullback accelerated, swerved and scored.

Villain of the match: None - not even remotely one.

The scorers:

For South Africa:
Tries: Joubert 3, Paulse, De Villiers
Cons: Montgomery 3
Pens: Montgomery 3

For New Zealand:
Tries: Muliaina, Rokocoko
Cons: Mehrtens 2
Pens: Mehrtens 4

The teams:

South Africa: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Marius Joubert, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Jean de Villiers, 10 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 9 Bolla Conradie (Fourie du Preez, 43), 8 Joe van Niekerk (Jacques Cronjé, 67), 7 Gerrie Britz, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Bakkies Botha (AJ Venter, 61), 3 Eddie Andrews (Hanyani Shimange, 79), 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Os du Randt (CJ van der Linde, 31-38, 70).
Unused replacements: 21 Gaffie du Toit, 22 Brent Russell.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Tana Umaga (captain), 12 Sam Tuitupou (Aaron Mauger, 75), 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Andrew Mehrtens, 9 Justin Marshall (Byron Kelleher, 72), 8 Xavier Rush (Moses Tuiali'i, 62), 7 Marty Holah (Craig Newby, 58), 6 Jono Gibbes, 5 Simon Maling, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Kees Meeuws (Greg Somerville, 62).
Unused replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 21 Nick Evans.

Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales) - replaced by Donal Courtney (Ireland, 12)

By Paul Dobson