AUCKLAND — Two tries from captain Kieran Read helped New Zealand grab the lead in the Rugby Championship Saturday after a 29-15 victory over South Africa, which had Bismarck du Plessis sent off for two contentious yellow cards. The bonus point victory came courtesy of tries from Read, Brodie Retallick and Sam Cane but at the cost of a collarbone injury to flyhalf Daniel Carter in a crunching tackle from hooker Du Plessis. New Zealand coach Steve Hansen told reporters it appeared Carter had injured the AC joint in his right shoulder and that he could be out for between four and six weeks. Du Plessis was sin-binned for the tackle then received a second yellow in the first minute of the second half for leading with his elbow into the throat of Liam Messam. Neither Hansen nor his counterpart Heyneke Meyer were prepared to discuss the yellow cards in detail, with Read and Ma'a Nonu also sin-binned in the final 10 minutes, though Hansen said anyone leading with their elbow was at risk of a red card. With both sides unbeaten in the tournament, the match had been billed as the most important in New Zealand since the 2011 World Cup final. The Springboks had entered the game on a nine-match winning streak and were supremely confident after they had demolished Australia 38-12 last week. The All Blacks are also unbeaten in New Zealand since 2009 and at Eden Park since 1994. The International Rugby Board's No. 1 ranking was also on the line for the winners of the match and neither side disappointed in an intense encounter. The collision zone was brutal with several players reeling away from the contact grabbing their heads, shoulders and ribs as they were hammered by their opponents. Wallabies cling on against Pumas In Perth, Australia clung on to snap a four-Test losing streak with an unimpressive 14-13 victory over Argentina in their Rugby Championship Test match at Patersons Stadium. In wet and windy conditions that made slick ball handling difficult, the Wallabies led 14-3 at half-time, but failed to score after the break and were lucky the Pumas were unable to capitalize on some late errors by the home team. Although the win didn't answer too many questions about their form, it was the Wallabies' first victory under new coach Ewen McKenzie in his fourth match at the helm. It was also the Wallabies' 15th win in 20 Tests against the Pumas. In driving rain in front of a crowd of 18,214, there was little to enthuse about for spectators until the Pumas suddenly produced the best rugby of the night mid-way through the half and the scene was set for a tense final 15 minutes. — Agencies
