'It felt like we were chasing ghosts,' says Springbok Kitshoff

A brilliant start by the All Blacks saw them score two tries and 17 points in as many minutes against the error-strewn Rugby World Cup title-holders in Auckland on Saturday.

South Africa are renowned as set-piece maestros, but all they did in the opening quarter was concede penalties, miss tackles, and lose lineout, breakdown and aerial battles.

The Sunday Times quoted veteran Kitshoff saying "the All Blacks pride themselves on the way they attack, but to attack you need a good set piece.

"There are a lot of lessons for us, especially when it comes to set-piece defence," said the champion at the last World Cup, in Japan four years ago.

"This is a huge wake-up call for us," he added ahead of their final Championship match, against Argentina in Johannesburg on 29 July.

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With New Zealand holding a four-point lead going into a final-round match against struggling Australia, the clash of the second-placed Springboks and the Pumas is set to decide second spot.

Head coach Jacques Nienaber echoed Kitshoff, telling the Times "defensively we were bad, we must have missed six or seven tackles in the first five minutes".

"We (also) struggled under the high ball, and those are two of our strongest areas. We just have to improve in those areas."

Missed chances

Nienaber, who moves to Irish outfit Leinster after the 8 September-28 October World Cup in France, also highlighted the failure of the Springboks to take chances.

"Tonight (Saturday), Cheslin (Kolbe) was called for a knock-on, Eben (Etzebeth) was over the line but held up.

"When you play the All Blacks you do not get many chances, and those you do get, you have to take."

Nienaber hailed lock