The Springboks won the TriNations on Saturday after they beat the All Blacks by 29 points to 32 and took an unassailable lead on the points table.
The All Blacks mounted a late charge at the Springboks and came close to snatching the victory at the death but on the day the Springboks were the better team and held on to keep the All Blacks out when it mattered.
The final match of the TriNations between the All Blacks and the Wallabies next week in Wellington will decide who will be placed second in this year's TriNations.
The current world champions only needed a bonus point for scoring four tries or even for finishing within 7 points but they went for the victory which was evident from the 5th minute when Frans Steyn slotted a penalty from 60m out.
Frans Steyn kicked another two penalties which gave the Springboks a points buffer which allowed them to keep the pressure up and try things on attack. The first try of the match came after Fourie du Preez dived over the line following quick spell of broken play.
The All Blacks had previously never lost at Hamilton and it was the Springboks first victory over the All Blacks at the venue.
The result also means that the Springboks enjoyed a 3-0 clean sweep over the All Blacks in 2009 and a consecutive victory for the Springboks in New Zealand after the Springboks Dunedin victory last year.
Dan Carter had a reliable match with the boot and broke the 900 point barrier for international test points.
Both sides scored two tries, but the pertinent scoring difference for the world champions was the phenomenal boot of Frans Steyn.
The Springboks went into the crucial Test knowing just one bonus point from a close loss should have been enough to secure the title, but said they would accept nothing less than victory.
In the end the final score flattered the All Blacks who fought back from a 17-point deficit early in the second half and were only a fingertip away from pulling off a surprise win at the end.
"At the end my heart was in my throat as we always knew the All Blacks would never give up," said South Africa coach Peter de Villiers who delayed bringing his team to New Zealand until 48 hours before the match.
He said that was because there was little to do in Hamilton, but his opinion changed as his side completed a clean-sweep over the All Blacks.
"We did find something in Hamilton -- we have the Tri-Nations Cup."
Despite the close finish, All Blacks coach Graham Henry had no argument with the result which ended the All Blacks four-year reign in the southern hemisphere championship.
"They deserved to win. They played very structured rugby and played it very well," he said.
"We didn't play well enough for the first 60 minutes. We needed to play for longer periods of time with a lot more consistency.
The win not only gave the Springboks their third Tri-Nations title, but for the first time since 1970-1976 they have beaten the All Blacks in three successive Tests.
For nearly three-quarters of the game the Springbok were in a class of their own as they dominated across the field, forcing the All Blacks into repeated handling errors.
The first-half onslaught, in which they led 22-12 at half-time, was stretched to 29-12 early in the second spell, leaving the All Blacks searching for answers.
Apart from the first scrum, which yielded a penalty to the All Blacks, the Springboks held their own up front, while Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha won the first four All Blacks lineout throws.
South Africa scored two tries, to Fourie de Preez and Jean de Villiers with Frans Steyn landing his three massive penalties while Morne Steyn added 13 points from a range of close range penalties, conversions and a drop goal.
For the All Blacks, Dan Carter landed five penalties and converted the tries of Sitiveni Sivivatu and Richie McCaw.
The All Blacks had points on the board from the opening whistle, gifted a penalty from the way the Springboks gathered and protected the kick-off and Carter secured the three points.
That was the cue for fullback Frans Steyn to step up and launch his kicking onslaught as he landed penalties from 60, 58 and 53 metres.
The All Blacks had targeted the scrums as a potential Springbok weakness and were rewarded with a penalty when they packed down for the first time and Carter landed the kick.
But when the All Blacks desperately chased points in the second half, they gave up a kickable penalty for a scrum only to have the Springboks steal the ball off them.
Du Preez scored South Africa's first try when Bryan Habana knocked Joe Rokocoko out of the way going for a high ball close to the All Blacks line.
The second try, early in the second half came after Henry pulled inside centre Stephen Donald 10 minutes from the field and Carter's first pass to his replacement Isaia Toeava was intercepted by de Villiers who raced away to score unopposed.
With the game almost out of reach, the All Blacks snapped into action and scored their first try when Sivivatu crossed in the corner.
In the dying minutes a Carter crosskick was fielded by Richie McCaw wide out to touch down, but a repeat of that move with time on the clock ended with the All Blacks tipping the ball into touch.
Final Score New Zealand 29 South Africa 32
Scorers
New Zealand
Tries - Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richie McCaw
Penalties - Dan Carter 5
Conversions -Dan Carter 2
Drop G -
South Africa
Tries - F du Preez, Jean De Villiers
Penalties - F Steyn 3, M Steyn 2
Conversions - M Steyn 2
Drop G - M Steyn
Match Officials
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
Teams
New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Ma'a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Isaac Ross, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Adam Thomson, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane.
South Africa: Francois Steyn, Odwa Ngungane, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, John Smit (captain), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.
Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, , Ricky Januarie, Adrian Jacobs, Ruan Pienaar, Ryan Kankowski.
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