Joe Rokocoko's converted try with 14 minutes left appeared to have given the All Blacks a TriNations clean sweep. But Pretorius stepped up to snatch victory after the sides went in level at 13-13 at half-time.

Bryan Habana scored in reply to Daniel Carter's try before Pedrie Wannenburg put the Boks 18-13 up after 55 minutes. But after Rokocoko's try the visitors, already crowned champions for a second successive year, could not resist the hosts' frantic late efforts. Victory would have put them within one win of the world record of 17 straight Test victories before they visit Twickenham in November.