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.

South Africa suffered a double blow 10 minutes into the first half when full-back Cheslin Kolbe retired 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 swiftly took advantage of the 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 long-serving Codie Taylor, broke from a line-out and when he was halted, Savea picked up the loose ball and dived over.

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

- Power against pace -

Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the conversion, leaving the hosts trailing 7-5 midway through the first half at Soccer City stadium on the outskirts of the South African commercial capital.

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 for a seven-point advantage.

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

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 disappointment of the tourists, Love was yellow carded.

South Africa and New Zealand, ranked first and second in the world respectively, were deadlocked at 12-12 at half-time.

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

Georgian referee 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 toward the hour, 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 tackle 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 South Africa retained until a pushover try from Taukei’aho.

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