Boks a step up from Lions, says Henry

CAPE TOWN - All Blacks coach Graham Henry was magnanimous in defeat this morning.

"We have to give a lot of credit to the Springboks - their defence was outstanding and they played better rugby than us," Henry said with a resigned smile and a shrug of the shoulders after the Tri-Nations clash, which South Africa won 22-16.

"There were a couple of times when we got in behind them but their cover defence was superb. We were also a bit rusty - we didn't think we would be but were obviously short of a gallop," said Henry, whose team last played on July 9 against the Lions.

Asked whether the Springboks were a different proposition than the Lions, Henry issued a stinging sideswipe at the quality of the side coached by Clive Woodward and comprehensively beaten 3-0 in the test series.

"Most definitely - it was a major test match and a major step up from where we were during the Lions series," he said.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, with several cuts and bruises adorning his face, said: "That was what test match rugby is really all about. Playing the Springboks it's always been tough and that was no different.

"We coughed up a few 50-50 balls and we tried a couple of things that didn't work for us but they were better than us on the day and that's what counts."

Springbok coach Jake White tried to match counterpart Henry's apparent calm after the match - but could not disguise his delight.

"I don't want to get too euphoric but this was a huge win for us and for South African rugby," said White who, had earlier this week compared a victory in this match to winning the World Cup after successive wins against the Wallabies.

"It was a great performance by us defensively. We couldn't get our hands on the ball for 25 minutes in the first half but we hung in there. They're not the best team in the world for nothing," White said.

Henry acknowledged the size of the task now facing his team as they travel to Sydney to face Australia in seven days. "We've got a challenge on, for sure, and it's bigger now but we'll just have to be sensible," he said. "We've got a lot of good minds putting their heads together."

White and his team now enjoy a two-week break, time for him to work on his promise not to get "too euphoric".

"We've got a great team, a great captain and we're winning - it doesn't get much better than that," White said.

- REUTERS