Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa produced a brilliant second-half display to earn a 29-24 Test victory over New Zealand in Johannesburg on Saturday, and a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

Deadlocked 12-12 at half-time, the Springboks powered to a 12-point advantage in the second half before conceding a try after the full-time hooter.

Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, centre Jesse Kriel and hooker Malcolm Marx scored tries for the Springboks, who were also awarded a penalty try.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked two conversions from three attempts and also a penalty.

Captain and No.8 Ardie Savea scored two tries for the All Blacks and wing Will Jordan and substitute hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho one each.

Fly-half Ruben Love and full-back Damian McKenzie slotted one conversion each.

Flanker Siya Kolisi became the most successful Springboks captain with 55 Test victories, overtaking 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning hooker John Smit.

“The All Blacks came hard at us in the first 25 minutes, their lungs were pumping. We did well not to concede more points,” said Kolisi.

“Then, we fought back. The way we finished was a lot better than we did in the previous two Tests.”

New Zealand loose forward Luke Jacobson said: “We started really well, had momentum, but the Springboks played their game in the second half. They got on top.”

South Africa suffered a double blow 10 minutes into the first half when full-back Cheslin Kolbe went off injured and Feinberg-Mngomzezulu was yellow-carded.

Kolbe, who converted all 11 goal kicks he took in the first two Tests, suffered a head injury and Feinberg-Mngomezulu was punished for a deliberate knock down of a Savea pass.

New Zealand immediately took advantage of having an extra man to take a seven-point lead through the first of two first-half tries from Savea.

Hooker Asafo Aumua, promoted to the starting line-up in place of the long-serving Codie Taylor, broke from a line-out and when he was halted, Savea picked up the loose ball and dived over.

- Power against pace -

The return of Feinberg-Mngomezulu coincided with Springbok pressure which culminated in Arendse taking a pass from centre Damian de Allende and scoring in the corner.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the conversion, leaving the hosts trailing 7-5 midway through the first half at Soccer City stadium.

Savea struck again on 26 minutes. After Arendse held up wing Leroy Carter just short of the tryline, the skipper snatched the ball and crossed the whitewash.

A frenetic first half, with the power of the Springboks ranged against the pace of the All Blacks, then took another dramatic turn.

When South Africa won a scrum close to the New Zealand tryline and the visitors backpedalled, referee Nika Amashukeli spotted an infringement and awarded a penalty try.

Adding to the tourists’ disappointment, Love was yellow carded.

Ahead of the third Test there had been a war of words with both camps questioning the legality of their rivals’ scrummaging tactics.

Georgian Amashukeli policed the set piece well, giving clear instructions to the front rows. No scrum had to be reset until 10 minutes into the second half.

As a tense struggle moved towards the hour mark, Jordan, then Kriel scored tries. Carter had a role in both.

After being tackled, Carter did well to pass to Jordan, but his poor attempt to halt Kriel proved costly. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted and South Africa led 19-17.

Marx then barged over for a try. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted and kicked a penalty for a 12-point lead that South Africa retained until a pushover try from Taukei’aho.

The series ends in Baltimore, in the United States, on September 12.