THE full ramifications of the overseas player exodus came back to haunt New Zealand rugby last night when a depleted All Blacks were outmuscled by South Africa, losing their first Test on home soil since 2003.
The tide of the match turned when Ali Williams succumbed to injury after less than 30 minutes.
Without Williams, the suspended Brad Thorn, the injured Richie McCaw, plus a slew of players like Chris Jack, who headed offshore last year, the All Blacks just did not have the depth that has served them so well over the last five years.
South Africa, after being overrun in Wellington last weekend, were in no mood for a repeat. Their set piece was dominant, underpinning their first victory in Dunedin in nine attempts. Their scrum was significantly better than last weekend.
But referee Matt Goddard probably had the biggest impact on the match. The Australian was in a whistle-happy mood and at times looked out of his depth in the white-hot atmosphere of his first Tri Nations Test.
His send-off of Victor Matfield for a high shot at the end of the match could have proved pivotal. Fortunately for the Boks, it did not, but do not expect to see Goddard in charge of a Test in the southern hemisphere for some time.
The Springboks scored the only try of the opening half. Dan Carter and Percy Montgomery exchanged a series of penalties.
But JP Pietersen broke the deadlock late in the first half. A massive South African scrum shove put the All Blacks on the back foot and provided the room Pietersen needed to skirt down the short side to score.
Carter had the last say of the half with a late penalty.
Sione Lauaki dragged a couple of Boks on his back over the try line to score, but Montgomery kept his side in touch with a penalty. Carter responded with only the second drop goal of his Test career before Butch James hit back soon after with a penalty.
Ricky Januarie then exploded late in the second half with a peerless solo dummy, kick-and-chase effort. That left Francois Steyn with the unenviable task of having to convert from an acute angle, which he did.
The All Blacks had a late chance to snatch the match when Ma'a Nonu probed deep inside enemy territory and Carter sized up his chance to take another late drop goal, but it was charged down.
The All Blacks now face an uphill battle to be ready for the Wallabies in Sydney in a fortnight. Williams appeared to suffer a head knock in a collision with Schalk Burger and aggravated his ankle at the same time. McCaw is still three weeks from a return.
SOUTH AFRICA 30 (JP Pietersen, Ricky Januarie tries; Percy Montgomery 3 pens, Butch James 2 pens drop goal, Francois Steyn con) beat NEW ZEALAND 28 (Sione Lauaki try; Dan Carter 6 pens, con, drop goal).
