The Springboks were 7-3 ahead at half-time thanks to Ruan Pienaar's try but with 21 minutes left, they were locked in a scrap at 10-10.

Scores by Juan Smith, Bobby Skinstad and Pienaar then put them 27-10 ahead and cruising. But the terrific Tongans did not give up, and tries by Sukanaivalu Hufanga and Viliami Vaki in the space of three minutes brought them to within five points.

The final, pulsating minutes were breathtaking but South Africa just held on for a third win.

A ninth-minute lead given to Tonga by Pierre Hola's simple penalty was not undeserved and served as a wake-up call to the Springboks. Andre Pretorius' offtarget goal-kicking was not helping the 1995 world champions' cause, although he did land a conversion following Pienaar's try . . . who blazed over following a clever quick tap from the full-back.

The Springboks took just a four-point lead into the interval and that soon became a three-point deficit when Kisi Pulu barged over. Hola converted and a real game was on.

John Smit, BJ Botha, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana and Francois Steyn were all thrown on by the Springboks, and Steyn landed his first attempt in the 54th minute to make it 10-10.

In a sensational last quarter the South Africans looked as though they had tied the game up when Smith, Skinstad and Pienaar scored superb tries in the space of six minutes.

But reduced to 13 men late on after the sin-binnings of Steyn and Habana, they were forced to hold on for dear life as Hufanga and Vaki went over for scores. But Tonga could not find a last try to complete the comeback.

South Africa Pienaar, Willemse, Olivier, Julies, Pietersen, Pretorius, Januarie, Skinstad, Steenkamp, G. Botha, van der Linde, B. Botha, van den Berg, van Heerden, Rossouw.

Tonga Lilo, Tu'ifua, Hufanga, Taione, Vaka, Hola, Tuipulotu, Maka, S. Tonga'uiha, Lutui, Pulu, Hehea, Kauhenga, Vaki, Latu.

Referee W Barnes